Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40118463›Full record

ArticleInjury prevention : journal of the International Society for Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention2026

Risk of bicycle collisions and 'safety in numbers': a natural experiment using the local introduction of e-scooters in England.

Hannah B Edwards, Frank de Vocht, Russell Jago, Miranda Elaine Glynis Armstrong, Edward Carlton, Yoav Ben-Shlomo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Injury prevention : journal of the International Society for Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Yonder: Urgent care triage, pre-pregnancy care, heatThe British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Hannah B EdwardsPopulation Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK hannah.edwards@bristol.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1885-4771
Frank de VochtPopulation Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3631-627X
Russell JagoPopulation Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Miranda Elaine Glynis ArmstrongCentre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8946-5776
Edward CarltonEmergency Medicine, North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, UK.
Yoav Ben-ShlomoPopulation Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6648-3007

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEcological studies hypothesise a 'safety in numbers' (SiN) effect whereby road safety for bicycles and other micromobility users improves as their numbers increase, due to behavioural changes of motorists. Causal interpretation of these studies is difficult due to confounding and reverse causation. The introduction of electric scooter (e-scooter) rental schemes in selected districts in England meant an increase in micromobility users in these areas, which presented an opportunity to test the SiN hypothesis using a natural experiment.

methodsTime-series analysis of police data on road collisions in local authorities (LAs) in Great Britain, 2015-2023. Random-effects Poisson regression time-series models compared collision rates in LA districts with an e-scooter trial (n=41) versus matched control districts (n=41). Primary outcomes were all road collisions and bicycle collisions. Models adjusted for time; seasonality; baseline collision rate; COVID-19 period; and preintervention/postintervention period (proxied by intervention group/COVID-19 period interaction).

resultsThe rate of bicycle collisions reduced following the introduction of the schemes, compared with control districts (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.78, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.89 during peak COVID-19; IRR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.99 in the post-COVID-19 period). This effect was specific to bicycle collisions and strongest in the subgroup of serious/fatal collisions.

conclusionsFindings suggest that the increase of a new and sustainable mode of transport, e-scooters, may have reduced bicycle collisions. This could have far-reaching benefits including reduced injuries, safer environments, and public health and environmental benefits if more people choose bicycles and micromobility over car transport. Findings should be verified in further work.

Indexed as

Accidents, TrafficBicyclingSafetyCOVID-19EnglandHumansBicycleEpidemiologyNon-randomized TrialPolicyPublic HealthTime series

Identifiers

PMID40118463
PMCPMC13638279

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.