The Challenging Coexistence Between Drivers and Cyclists: Who Breaks More Traffic Rules?

Whether they are car drivers, two-wheeled motor vehicle operators, cyclists, or pedestrians, it is common for individuals to criticise the behaviour of others, always assuming their own actions are correct.

This challenging coexistence among different modes of transportation raises questions about how well they adhere to the shared road rules.

While cars remain the primary mode of transport, Europeans are also choosing more active forms of travel in their daily commutes: 66% usually walk (unchanged from 2023), while 21% regularly cycle (one point below 2023). Additionally, 6% use two-wheeled motor vehicles and 3% prefer a scooter or hoverboard.

In Spain, 77% walk regularly, making it the European country with the highest proportion of people choosing this option, far above the Belgians (last with 53%) and the French (second last with 57%). However, only 7% opt for bicycles, 6% for two-wheeled motor vehicles, and 2% for scooters or hoverboards.

With these premises, the VINCI Autoroutes Foundation has published the European results of the fourth edition of its "Sharing the Road" study. A survey conducted by Ipsos among 12,413 European citizens analysing their behaviour regarding the coexistence of different modes of transport on public roads.

The results confirm the need for all users to increase awareness and respect for traffic rules to ensure coexistence.

Thus, a large majority (92%; 90%) fear the risky behaviours of others. Pedestrians are also significantly affected by the risks taken by other users. Thus, 89% fear that car drivers will not stop at pedestrian crossings (93%), and 63% claim to have been brushed on the pavement by a bicycle, scooter, or hoverboard (66%).

The fear of aggression from road users has also significantly increased. Specifically, 81% fear the abruptness with which two-wheeled motor vehicle users drive (78%), 83% fear car drivers (88%), and 80% fear the way cyclists move (83%).

However, the sense of safety on a bicycle varies considerably by country. While 93% of the Dutch feel safe, only 59% of the French share this impression when cycling, the lowest figure among the 11 surveyed countries, with a 34-point difference from the top.

Understanding others' limitations and vulnerabilities is one of the benefits of using various modes of transport. 60% of European drivers (38%) use at least one other mode of transport besides walking - two-wheeled motor vehicles, bicycles, scooters, etc. - (85% of the Dutch and 35% of the British).

Nevertheless, 78% of these "multi-users" claim to be more cautious with others on the road: checking blind spots, respecting segregated bike lanes and spaces reserved for disabled people, being vigilant when opening doors, etc. (83%).

Among car drivers who regularly use bicycles, 32% believe they respect signals better than when driving (50%), and 62% consider that cycling requires more care than driving (77%).

Several traffic code rules, aimed at contributing to a balanced distribution of public road space, are not known, understood, and applied by all users, a situation that can create tensions and is exacerbated in the case of rules related to cyclists. These are some of the conclusions.

They are reserved exclusively for cyclists, allowing them to position themselves ahead of vehicles at traffic light-controlled intersections, enabling better visibility. However, 64% of two-wheeled motor vehicle drivers (72%) and 24% of car drivers (21%) admit to encroaching on these spaces when stopping their vehicles.

These signs allow cyclists to proceed in certain directions without stopping, even if the light is red, provided they yield to pedestrians and other vehicles. Due to a lack of awareness of these signs, compliance by cyclists may be perceived by other users as a violation and risky behaviour. However, in the absence of these signs, cyclists should not run red lights, but 37% admit to advancing in prohibited situations (54%).

These are spaces reserved for pedestrians, yet two-wheeled motor vehicle drivers and cyclists tend to park on them (66% of two-wheeled motor vehicle drivers; 77%) or ride (72% of regular cyclists; 75%; and 46% of two-wheeled motor vehicle drivers; 42%). This excessive occupation of space poses a danger to pedestrians, 63% of whom claim to have been brushed by a bicycle, scooter, or hoverboard while walking on a sidewalk (66%).

Although these practices are perceived as harmless, parking in traffic lanes or occupying spaces reserved for specific users obstructs mobility and endangers vulnerable users. Thus, 29% of car drivers admit to regularly double parking (54%), 19% use the bus lane (19%), 12% use spaces reserved for disabled people (14%), and 13% occupy spaces dedicated to electric vehicles (11%).

Like conventional bike lanes, these are reserved for bicycles and personal mobility vehicles (PMVs), but drivers abuse them. Despite this, 50% of two-wheeled motor vehicle drivers admit to taking advantage of them (49%) and 15% of car drivers admit to using them to stop or park (13%). Additionally, 34% of car drivers admit to opening the door without checking for nearby cyclists (28%).

For both vehicles and pedestrians, running a red light can have dire consequences for the offender and other road users. However, this violation is widely acknowledged by drivers, cyclists, and even pedestrians, many of whom ignore the risk of crossing when the light prohibits it.

Additionally, 64% of car drivers admit to passing through an amber or red light (65%); 37% of regular cyclists admit to doing so in situations where signals do not permit it (54%); and 56% of pedestrians admit to crossing at a pedestrian crossing, even when the light is red (71%) and 78% admit to occasionally crossing where there is no pedestrian crossing, even if one is less than 50 metres away (81%).

The use of phones and smartphones while driving, on the handlebars, or on foot: despite being a major source of distraction, 77% of car drivers (67%), including for GPS programming (58% of pedestrians (64%), 49% of motorcyclists (46%), and 35% of regular cyclists (43%) admit to using their devices on the road.

Only half of the drivers activate the indicator (52%; 48%) to inform other users of overtaking and direction changes, indicative of individualism and indifference towards other road users.

Heavy vehicle drivers (trucks, buses, coaches) and cyclists are at particular risk when misjudging blind spots. Nevertheless, 49% (42%) of cyclists claim to overtake buses or trucks on the right, although they believe they pay attention to blind spots.

The absence or insufficiency of lighting devices and reflective equipment for cycling at night endangers cyclists themselves and can surprise other road users. However, this essential safety measure is still ignored by 27% of regular cyclists (34%).

The use of bicycle helmets for adults is not mandatory in any of the countries covered by the survey, except in Spain, where it is recommended in urban areas and mandatory outside them. On average in Europe, 29% of regular cyclists frequently use them (52%). This figure is lower than that of British (54%), Spanish (52%), and French (51%) cyclists, but significantly higher than that of the Dutch (7%), who, despite being the most frequent cyclists, are the least likely to use protection.