Enhancing Cyclist Safety in the EU: A Study on Lateral Overtaking Distance Across Seven Scenarios Using Lab and Crowdsourced Methods

Cyclists face significant risks from vehicles that overtake too closely. Through crowdsourcing (N = 200) and driving simulator (N = 20) experiments, this study examines driver behaviour in seven scenarios: laser projection, road sign, road marking, car projection, centre line and side line markings (baseline), cycle lane and no road markings. Crowdsourced participants consistently underestimated overtaking distances, particularly at wider gaps, despite feeling safer with greater distances. The simulation results showed that drivers maintained an average passing distance of 3.4~m when not constrained by traffic, exceeding the 1.5~m law of the European Union. However, interventions varied in effectiveness: while laser projection was preferred, it did not significantly increase passing distance. In contrast, a dedicated cycle lane and a solid centreline led to the greatest improvements. These findings highlight the discrepancies between perceived and actual safety and provide insight for policy interventions to enhance cyclist protection in the EU.