Cycling accidents in 2023: More accidents in Prague center and nearly one-fifth involve electric vehicles

The number of accidents involving cyclists has decreased for the first time since 2019. We also recorded a decline in serious accidents. However, there has been a slight increase in the overall proportion of accidents caused by cyclists. In accidents with serious injuries or fatalities, cyclists were at fault in over 60% of cases. Since this percentage is based on a total of only 16 accidents and the value has fluctuated between 30% and 70% over time, we consider this proportion statistically insignificant. Moreover, 4 of the serious accidents were classified as single-vehicle accidents, meaning they involved no other vehicles (see below).

Although the increase in the proportion of accidents caused by cyclists seems significant, in collisions with other road users, accidents where the cyclist is at fault remains below 50%.

Higher proportion of single-vehicle accidents

A so-called single-vehicle accident is one that the police evaluate as an accident without other traffic participants. Typically, this involves a crash or collision with a parked vehicle or other obstacle. In these cases, the cyclist is almost always at fault. Similar to last year, there is a relatively large number of single-vehicle bicycle accidents (70 out of 308 total accidents involving cyclists in Prague).

Scooters and type of power source

Last year, for the first time, the police recorded differences between (electric) scooters and bicycles. However, as with the nationwide analysis, we also encounter inaccuracies in the categorization of accidents in Prague. One example is the crash of an electric scooter rider in Kobylisy (single-vehicle accident), where the driver of a „motor vehicle“ was incorrectly identified as the culprit. We verified this situation with the Transport Research Centre, where we were informed that they are aware of the errors.

Based on the analysis of individual accidents, we believe that inaccuracies continue to appear in the data regarding the type of vehicle ownership. We have already discussed the issue with the Police of the Czech Republic.

With the increasing number of electric-powered vehicles, we now distinguish non-motorized vehicles by type of power source. In the total number of accidents last year, nearly 18% involved electric vehicles, with almost 3/4 of these being electric scooters according to the statistics, and the remaining were electric bikes.

Looking at the two maps below, it is evident that slightly more than half (21 out of 39) of the accidents involving injuries to electric vehicle drivers are, in fact, single-vehicle accidents, including the more serious ones.

Most accidents in the city center involve electric vehicles owned by private companies.

Stable proportion of collisions with pedestrians

Overall, the statistics record 19 collisions with pedestrians, 15 of which were caused by a person on a bicycle. In 7 cases, the collision occurred on a sidewalk, and one of these resulted in a serious injury to the pedestrian. The driver (likely of a shared electric scooter) was reportedly not paying attention to driving. Although this is currently an isolated incident, we feel obliged to highlight it, emphasizing the need for considerate behavior in areas with mixed traffic, adjusting speed to the number of pedestrians, and using a bell for warnings.

Accident locations in the Prague area

A noticeable „necklace“ of accidents can be seen along the right-bank A2, where the quality and dimensions of the cycling route have long been insufficient for the extent of its use in the city center. According to statistics, in 2023 collisions with vehicles here, unlike collisions with pedestrians (with only one exception), did not result in any injuries.

After COVID-19, the concentration of accidents has returned to the city center, where most people on bikes have to pass through regardless of the existence or quality of the infrastructure. Shared micromobility is also popular among visitors to the city. Unlike in 2019, we can see a decrease in red dots indicating serious injuries, which can be seen as a positive sign from a safety perspective.

The city center – collisions with pedestrians, single-vehicle accidents, and alcohol

In the center, collisions with pedestrians (blue circles) traditionally accumulate, but the map also clearly shows that a large proportion of accidents resulting in injuries are the aforementioned crashes (white circles). In the vast majority of these, the main cause is listed as „losing control of the vehicle.“ A closer look reveals that such accidents occurred in areas with more challenging surfaces or tram tracks, and typically without separated cycling infrastructure. According to the statistics, there were a total of 20 single-vehicle accidents involving bikes owned by private companies across Prague. Eighteen of these are visible in the inset (dotted circles), which corresponds to a higher concentration of shared bikes, scooters, and couriers.

Out of interest, we have marked with arrows the collisions with pedestrians or single-vehicle accidents involving drivers of non-motorized vehicles under the influence of alcohol. In the inset, there are 13 cases, 9 of which involve accidents on bikes owned by private companies, often occurring at night. Unfortunately, it is still possible to use shared bikes or scooters under the influence of alcohol, which is problematic for a public service (included in the public transport subscription). However, we also know that some operators around the world are testing the possible integration of alcohol testers on their vehicles or banning the use of the service at night, which could certainly contribute to reducing accidents.

Accidents with serious or fatal consequences

In 2023, there were 14 serious injuries and two fatalities in accidents involving bicycles in Prague. The first fatality was due to a crash on a gravel path, and the second was caused by a motor vehicle driver who failed to yield to an 80-year-old cyclist on a busy road. Despite wearing a helmet, the cyclist succumbed to his injuries.

One of the 14 seriously injured participants is the pedestrian we already mentioned. Among the others, there is a strong presence of accidents caused by failure to yield at intersections. These accidents are long perceived as the most dangerous even from a nationwide perspective.