Comparison of Vulnerable Road Users Involved in Traffic Accidents in China and Developed Countries

Although all types of road users are at risk of being injured or killed in a road traffic crash, there are notable differences in fatality rates between different road user groups. The "vulnerable" road users (VRUs), such as pedestrians and two-wheeler users, are at greater risk than vehicle occupants. In particular, with the popular use of the electric bicycle, the vulnerable road users involved in traffic accidents (VRUITAs) become more frequent in China. Therefore, the characteristics of VRUITAs were first explored from accident data. The crash composition and other measurements were analyzed in this study. The reasons for VRUITAs in China were then compared with those in developed countries from the aspects of legislation, driving training and traffic management. The results indicate that the vulnerable road users in China were more likely to break the traffic rules and take risky behavior. Several counter measures derived from developed countries were finally discussed to be further applied in China to reduce the VRUITAs.