Project
Driver Attitudes and Behavior in the Presence of E-Scooters versus Bicyclists
Electric scooters (e-scooters) are a sustainable mode of transportation due to their minimal environmental impact, improved efficiency in moving people, and equity due to their low cost. While e-scooter safety has not been extensively studied and information on e-scooter crashes is lacking, operational similarities of e-scooters and bicyclists can be used to draw parallels. This would allow for an understanding of safety issues related to e-scooters and developing appropriate countermeasures and infrastructure treatments that are suitable for addressing them. The objective of this research is to explore the impact of driver attitudes (e.g., whether they consider e-scooters as a formal mode of transportation or not) and infrastructure on driver behavior when interacting with bicyclists or e-scooters. Multiple scenarios will be developed that differ in the infrastructure used by the bicyclists/riders (e.g., mixed traffic lanes, designated bike/e-scooter lane, or sidewalk for e-scooters). Questionnaires will assess driver attitudes towards e-scooter and bicycling use and attempt to understand factors motivating different attitudes or behaviors towards e-scooters versus bicyclists (e.g., smaller e-scooter footprint affecting their visibility, e-scooter-vehicle interactions at the intersection after traveling on a sidewalk).
