In 2018, Amsterdam took a leap and moved mopeds off bicycle paths and onto the road. Now, a recent analysis of traffic data shows that the move has had a “significant positive effect” with a decrease in accidents in the capital.
The traffic agency VIA compared the number of bicycle accidents in all Dutch municipalities between 2014-2017 with the number of accidents in the period after the moped move: 2018-2021.
After taking the number of residents in each municipality into account, the research revealed that Amsterdam has done a significantly better job of reducing bicycle accidents than other cities in the Netherlands, writes Het Parool.
Goed gedaan! (Well done!)
Can Amsterdam’s traffic investments keep up?
Amsterdam’s traffic elderman, Egbert de Vries, is happy with VIA’s findings. He tells Het Parool that the decrease from 5,476 to 3,464 bicycle accidents is largely a result of moving mopeds off the bike path.
READ MORE | How the Netherlands became a cycling country
De Vries also highlights the importance of structural changes, saying that we “invest a lot in making intersections safer.” 🚦
Here come the e-bikes
However, Amsterdammers have already noted a new problem on their daily commute: e-bikes.
The electric bikes swoosh past normal cyclists, reinstituting the danger of speed differences on the capital’s narrow bike paths — the same issue previously caused by mopeds. 🙃
In fact, the Urban Road Safety Index by Cyclomedia shows that two-thirds of residents think accidents caused by e-bikes are on the rise.
De Vries doesn’t believe the danger is quite comparable to that of mopeds, though. However, he says that “We need to keep a close eye on the spread of the e-bike.
In addition, we are lobbying the government to move the electric bicycle to the road when we go from fifty to thirty kilometres per hour.”
Don’t feel safe cycling in Amsterdam? You’re not alone
The issue with serious speed differences on the city’s bike paths is that they are narrower than Dutch traffic standards prescribe.
The historic city simply wasn’t made for the hustle and bustle of daily commuters, frantic tourists, and leisurely riders.
The city layout, narrow bike paths, and pedestrian crossings leave 28% of Amsterdammers feeling unsafe in traffic.
In fact, 37% of cyclists even avoid dangerous intersections. 🙅♀️
Despite these anxieties, Cyclomedia research shows that 70% of Amsterdammers think using a helmet is excessive — cognitive dissonance much?
READ MORE | 5 reasons the Dutch cycle without bike helmets
Do you feel safe cycling in Amsterdam? Tell us in the comments below!