Number 369 March 2009

Traffic Safety Facts

Traffic Tech – Technology Transfer Series

U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Background and Methodology

The goals of this survey were to ascertain the scope and

magnitude of bicycle and pedestrian activity and the

public’s behavior and attitudes regarding bicycling and

walking. Telephone interviews were conducted between

June 11 and August 20, 2002, with a nationally representative sample of 9,616 respondents 16 or older in the United

States. These results were then weighted to reflect the

national population of approximately 200 million noninstitutionalized people 16 or older residing in the United

States. Topics addressed by the survey were:

n	 Frequency of bicycling and walking;

n	 Trip information including origin, destination, time of

day, distance, travel surface, purpose, facility use, and

topography;

n	 Reasons for not biking and/or walking;

n	 Perceptions of safety;

n	 Safety practices;

n	 Facilities availability;

n	 Community design;

n	 Sociodemographics.

Survey respondents were asked to provide information

about their overall bicycling and walking behaviors during the previous 30 days, which encompassed the period

of May 11 through August 20, 2002. The survey focused

on individual trips taken on the most recent day they

bicycled or walked during that period. Specific trip data

(including trip origin and destination, purpose, time, distance, etc.) were collected for up to six walking and six

bicycling trips on the most recent day traveled. 

Findings: Bicycling

The survey findings showed that slightly less than half

(46%) of those 16 and older had a bicycle available for

their use on a regular basis, with access increasing as level

of household income increased. About 43% rode a bicycle

at least once in the summer months, making an estimated

2.5 billion trips during the summer of 2002. 

Bicycling declined with age, with those under 21 most

likely to bicycle and doing so more frequently, while the

majority 45 and older did not bicycle during the summer

months. 

Figure 1: Purpose of Bicycling Trips

Q9a 25a: What was the main purpose for this trip? [Base: Data for all 

trips;n=3,903]

The majority of bicycling trips were for recreational purposes (29%) or for exercise (24%), while just one in five

trips were made either to conduct errands (14%) or for

commuting to work or school (5%). About half of all trips

(48%) were made on paved roads; an additional 13% were

on shoulders of paved roads, and 5% on bike lanes on

roads. Most other trips were made on sidewalks (14%) or

bike trails/paths (13%). Only half (50%) of bicyclists said

bike paths were available in the areas they rode, while 32%

said bike lanes were available. The use of bicycle paths

and bicycle lanes was very similar. Where those facilities

were said to be available, 73% of bicyclists reported using

bicycle paths at least some of the time they rode (39% most

or all of the time), and 75% reported using bicycle lanes at

least some of the time they rode (43% most or all of the

time). Over half of those who did not use bike paths or

lanes said they don’t use them because they are not conveNational Survey of Pedestrian and Bicyclist 

Attitudes and Behavior

29%

24%

14% 14%

10%

5%

2% 1%

Required 

for Job

Commute to Other

Work/School

Visit 

Friends or

Relatives

Personal Go Home

Errands

Exercise/

Health

Recreation/

Leisure
TRAFFIC TECH is a publication to disseminate information about

traffic safety programs, including evaluations, innovative programs,

and new publications. Feel free to copy it as you wish. If you would

like to receive a copy, contact Dr. Angela Eichelberger, Editor, fax

202-366-7394, e-mail: angela.eichelberger@dot.gov.

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., NTI-130

Washington, DC 20590

nient, available, or go where they need to go. More than

1 in 10 bicyclists (13%) felt threatened for their personal

safety on the most recent day they rode their bicycles

in a 30-day period in the Summer of 2002, with 88% of

these feeling threatened by motorists. Among those who

reported that they felt threatened by a motorist, the top

two actions that were seen as threatening were driving too

close to the bicyclist (40%) and driving too fast (32%). 

One in 5 bicyclists (20%) rode in the dark or near-dark for

at least part of their trip, with 63% of these saying they

took actions to make themselves more visible to motorists. About 4% of bicyclists reported being injured while

riding in the past two years. Almost one-quarter of these

were hit by motorists. About half of bicyclists wore helmets at least on occasion, with 35% using them for all or

most trips. Nine in 10 supported helmet laws for children,

while 62% supported such laws for adults. 

Almost half (48%) of respondents 16 and older were very

or somewhat satisfied with how their local communities

was designed for making bicycle riding safe. Nearly half

(47%) would like to see some changes made in their communities for bicyclists. The changes most desired were

more bike lanes (38%) and more bike paths (30%).

Findings: Walking

About 86% of people 16 and older walked, jogged, or

ran outdoors for 5 minutes or more during the summer

months, with 78% doing so within the past 30 days. Walking at least 5 minutes one or more times during the past 30

days decreased to just 66% for those 65 and older. An estimated 13.3 billion walking trips were made in the summer months, with nearly three-quarters (74%) of the trips

being made by heavy-frequency walkers.

Figure 2: Purpose of Walking Trips

Personal errands (38%), exercise (28%), and recreation

(21%) were the most common reasons for trips. Nearly

half (45%) of the trips were made on sidewalks, with 25%

made on paved roads. Just 6% were made on bike paths,

walking paths, or trails. The most common ending point

of a walking trip was a home (61%). An additional 10%

ended at a leisure or recreation site, 9% ended at a shopping site and 7% ended at work. 

About 6% of pedestrians felt their personal safety threatened on their most recent trip, with 62% of these saying

they felt threatened by motorists. Among those who

reported that they felt threatened by motorists (4% of

pedestrians), the top two actions that were seen as threatening were driving too fast (41%) and driving too close to

the pedestrian (35%).

Overall, 22% of pedestrians reported walking in the dark

or near-dark for part of their most recent walk. Among

these, nearly 4 in 10 (39%) made efforts to make themselves more visible to motorists. The methods used by

pedestrians to make themselves more visible after dark

included wearing light colored clothing (64%), wearing

fluorescent or reflective clothing (28%), or bringing something visible with them on the walk (18%).

Just 2% of pedestrians 16 and olderreported being injured

in the past two years while walking. Heavy-frequency

pedestrians were equally likely to experience injuries

while walking (2%) as were medium- (2%) and light-frequency (2%) pedestrians. Four percent of pedestrians 16

through 20, and 4% of pedestrians with annual household

income less than $15,000 had been injured while walking

in the past 2 years.

Three-quarters (73%) of people 16 and older were satisfied with how their local community was designed for

making walking safe, though one-third (34%) would like

to see changes. The most desired changes were more sidewalks (42%) and more lights (17%).

How to Order

For a copy of National Survey of Bicyclist and Pedestrian

Attitudes and Behavior (Volume I Summary Report, 23

pages; Volume II Findings Report, 175 pages; and Volume III Methods Report, 118 pages) prepared by the Gallup Organization, write to the Office of Behavioral Safety

Research, NHTSA, NTI-130, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,

Washington, DC 20590, or send a fax to 202-366-7394, or

download from www.nhtsa.dot.gov. Q9a 25a: What was the main purpose for this trip? [Base: Data for all trips; 

n=3,903]

Required 

for Job

Commute to Other

Work/School

Personal

Errands

Exercise/

Health

Recreation/

Leisure

38%

28%

21%

5% 4% 3%