iRAP has launched its new CycleRAP Demonstrator Tool. The tool is an exciting step forward in the field of road safety for bicyclists.

The CycleRAP risk assessment model aims to help cities improve the safety of cycling infrastructure. The CycleRAP Demonstrator is a free online tool available to explore the CycleRAP model. It can be used to assess crash risk and identify potential safety issues due to the physical characteristics, design and speed of the street or cycling facility.

The Demonstrator Tool allows users to quickly input the presence of different infrastructure attributes on the cycle path such as surface quality, delineation, obstacles, adjacent sidewalks and road lanes, vehicle parking, street lighting, nearby intersections and travel speed to obtain a CycleRAP Score and risk level from low to extreme.

As well as an overall safety score, the tool provides a safety rating for the likelihood of a single bicycle crash or bicyclist collision with another bicycle, pedestrian or vehicle. Users can also see how different improvements, such as protected bike lanes or traffic calming measures, would impact the safety of the cycling infrastructure.

The CycleRAP Demonstrator Tool is a valuable resource for decision-makers, urban planners, and anyone interested in improving cycling safety. By providing an easy, user-friendly interface for exploring the CycleRAP model, it can help increase awareness of cycling risk and how simple infrastructure improvements can increase safety.

The CycleRAP model was developed in response to a growing international need to better understand risk for cyclists and other forms of micro-mobility. Data shows that while vehicle-bicycle crashes result in higher fatalities, 60-90% of hospitalisations and 17% of fatalities involving cyclist and light mobility users do not involve a direct conflict with vehicle. The lack of crash reporting for these types of crashes makes it very hard to know where they are or how to address them. The CycleRAP model aims to address this gap so that decision-makers can prioritize investment in cycling infrastructure where safety improvements are needed most.

The CycleRAP model can be used for assessing corridors and sections of cycling networks or for understanding the risk of particular locations. CycleRAP Demonstrator Tool is designed to help end-users understand and test the model. It can be used to assess spot locations or the safety of proposed designs.