What Affects the E-Bicycle Speed Perception in the Era of Eco-Sustainable Mobility: A Driving Simulator Study

The increase in the number of electric bicycles worldwide has resulted in a rise in the number of traffic accidents involving e-bicyclists. Previous studies have been based on analyzing the use, advantages and disadvantages of e-bicycles, whereas only a small number of studies have been focused on analyzing the e-bicycle traffic safety, particularly the factors leading to the occurrence of traffic accidents. One of the factors affecting the occurrence of traffic accidents is the incorrect perception of the e-bicycle speed by other traffic participants. To examine the mentioned problem, the authors of this paper conducted an experimental study to determine what affects the e-bicycle speed perception. The experiment included 175 participants, aged 18 to 50. The research was conducted under laboratory conditions using a driving simulator, at different e-bicycle speeds (10 km/h, 20 km/h and 30 km/h), in the situations in which the e-bicyclist was (not) using a reflective vest. The results show statistically significant differences in the e-bicycle speed perception when the e-bicyclist does not use/uses a reflective vest. Besides, the driving licence categories of traffic participants and their driving experience also have a significant impact on the perception of the e-bicycle speed.