Chair of Traffic and Transportation Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Hettnerstr. 1, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
Chair of Transport Ecology, Technische Universität Dresden, Hettnerstr. 1, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
J Safety Res. 2024 Jun;89:343-353. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2024.04.008. Epub 2024 Apr 25.
The surge in popularity of electric kick scooters (e-scooters) poses new challenges for traffic planning, demanding a comprehensive understanding of route choice behavior to see how e-scooters are used, how they affect traffic flow, and where improvements can be made to the road infrastructure. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze route choices and preferences of e-scooter riders and cyclists in a quasi-experimental setup with both user groups having the same trip destinations.
Two groups of participants (n = 52) completed a ride with either a shared e-scooter or bicycle to reach four predefined destinations in Dresden, Germany. The riders were supposed to choose their routes and subsequently reported the difficulty of decision-making and the importance of several route choice factors related to the ride.
E-scooter riders rated road surface and safety as significantly more important for route choice than cyclists and tended to perceive the decision-making as more difficult. Riding data revealed broad comparability between the groups, with e-scooter riders tendentially having longer routes for complex decisions (unknown destinations, scenic routes, more turns required).
The study suggests that the route preferences of e-scooter riders may be influenced by a combination of road surface and safety considerations, highlighting the need for high-quality cycling infrastructure. Limitations exist regarding the naturally occurring differences in riding experience in e-scooter riding versus cycling. Practical implications indicate that planning for e-scooter riders can benefit from insights drawn from activities designed for cyclists. The provision of real-time road quality information is proposed, considering its potential impact on overall road safety.
This study contributes to a better understanding of how e-scooter riders navigate through cities and delivers a valuable foundation for transport planners and engineers considering the rise in cycling and micro-mobility use.
电动滑板车（e-scooter）的普及热潮给交通规划带来了新的挑战，需要全面了解路线选择行为，以了解 e-scooter 的使用方式、它们如何影响交通流量以及道路基础设施可以在哪些方面进行改进。因此，本研究旨在分析 e-scooter 骑手和自行车骑手在准实验设置中的路线选择和偏好，两个用户群体都有相同的出行目的地。
两组参与者（n=52）分别使用共享电动滑板车或自行车完成了前往德国德累斯顿四个预设目的地的骑行。骑手需要选择自己的路线，然后报告决策的难度以及与骑行相关的几个路线选择因素的重要性。
e-scooter 骑手在路线选择时将路面状况和安全性评为比自行车骑手更为重要，并倾向于认为决策过程更为困难。骑行数据显示，两组之间具有广泛的可比性，e-scooter 骑手在复杂决策（未知目的地、风景路线、需要更多转弯）时往往选择更长的路线。
研究表明，e-scooter 骑手的路线偏好可能受到路面状况和安全考虑的综合影响，突出了高质量自行车基础设施的必要性。本研究存在一定局限性，因为在自然发生的骑行经验差异方面，e-scooter 骑行与自行车骑行有所不同。实际影响表明，为 e-scooter 骑手进行规划可以借鉴为自行车骑手设计的活动所获得的见解。考虑到其对整体道路安全的潜在影响，建议提供实时道路质量信息。
本研究有助于更好地理解 e-scooter 骑手如何在城市中导航，并为考虑增加自行车和微移动使用的交通规划者和工程师提供了有价值的基础。
