Cycling has become 40% safer in recent years

Cycling has become much safer over the last few years. The risk of dying on a bicycle has fallen by 40 percent in the last seven years. In 2015, 24.9 fatalities occurred per billion kilometers cycled; in 2022, this dropped to 14.9.

These figures were published on Friday on the study day celebrating the tenth anniversary of Fietsberaad Vlaanderen, the knowledge center of the Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (Vereniging van Vlaamse Steden en Gemeenten, VVSG) and the Flemish government. “More attention should also be paid to pedestrian policy in the future,” the organization says.

‘Top priority’

According to Wout Baert, program manager of Fietsberaad Vlaanderen, cycling has become much safer thanks to the “many investments in (separated) cycle paths, more 30 km/hour zones, the construction of cycle streets and zones, and other measures with which local authorities discourage car use”. Yet the number of cycling victims remains too high “with still 70 to 75 deaths per year”, Baert says.

According to the Flemish Minister of Mobility, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), cycling is “a top priority”. During this legislature, she released 1.4 billion euros for bicycle infrastructure. “By allowing children to grow up in a child-friendly and traffic-safe environment, we allow them to choose active modes of transport such as walking or cycling. […] The young cyclists of today are the adult cyclists of tomorrow, at least when we guarantee them comfort and safety.”

Saving on health and environmental costs

Bicycle investments also contribute to better health. Investing in cycling infrastructure has a high return, which is often underestimated. Together, all governments spent 1.041 billion euros on bicycle investments between 2020 and 2023. According to calculations, all these investments would yield almost 7.5 billion euros over a period of 20 years, mainly in savings on health costs and reduced environmental costs.

On its 10th anniversary, Fietsberaad Vlaanderen emphasizes the importance of collecting and sharing knowledge and data about cycling and other forms of active mobility, including pedestrians. Hardly any research has been conducted on this in Flanders. So, there is still work to be done. Much research is still needed on the diversity of bicycle traffic, transport poverty, sustainable urban distribution, and zero-emission cargo, among others.

Knowledge center

‘Fietsberaad Vlaanderen’ is the knowledge center for cycling policy. For ten years, it has supported all road authorities in realizing traffic-safe cycling infrastructure and contributing to a healthier and more sustainable society.