Experts warn against riskier cycling accidents with Cyclists’ Federation proposal

Experts warn that a proposal by the Danish Cyclists’ Federation to allow cyclists over 15 to choose between bike lanes and roads in urban areas could increase accident risks, DR reports.

The federation argues that congestion on bike paths—exacerbated by fast e-bikes and varied cycling speeds—makes riding unsafe, pushing some to abandon cycling altogether. Its proposal includes lowering car speed limits in urban zones to 30 km/h.

Otto Anker Nielsen, professor of transport modeling at DTU, calls the plan a “risky experiment,” noting that most serious accidents occur at intersections, where reduced car speeds would have limited impact. He advocates expanding bike lanes instead.

Tanja Osmann Madsen, a traffic safety researcher at Aalborg University, acknowledges conflicts on bike paths but warns that collisions with cars would cause far more severe injuries than bike-to-bike accidents. She suggests restricting road access to high-speed e-bikes (speed pedelecs) rather than all cyclists.

Transport Minister Signe Munk (SF) recognizes the space constraints on urban bike paths but cautions against creating new problems while seeking solutions.

In 2023, 1,016 e-bike riders were injured in accidents, up from 256 in 2018, according to the Danish Road Directorate. Bike paths accounted for 38% of all traffic fatalities and injuries last year.