Does filtering by powered two-wheelers present a risk for pedestrians in city centers?

Abstract Context The increase in the use of powered two-wheelers (PTW) in large urban areas adds to the public debate on the question of legalizing the practice of filtering when traffic is congested. In recent years, filtering by PTW riders has been authorized in cities in several Australian States. In France, this practice has been authorized on an experimental basis since 1st February 2016 on urban expressways, but for now it remains forbidden in city centers. Legalization and generalization of this practice in cities could, however, have a detrimental effect on pedestrian safety. The objective of the research presented in this paper is to estimate the risk for PTW riders of hitting and injuring a pedestrian per kilometer travelled while filtering and to compare this risk with that run while not filtering. Method Based on the detailed study of police reports recorded on 14 sections of urban arterials roads located in the city center of Marseille (France) and a campaign of periodical observations of powered two-wheeler practices, a relative risk and its 95 % confidence interval are estimated. Results The results show that the practice of filtering is associated with a significantly higher risk of collision with a pedestrian compared to normal driving in the traffic flow. On the sections studied, the risk is 5.30 higher (95% confidence interval [2.97; 9.43]). The main crash configurations are presented. Conclusions In cities, filtering practices by PTW have a deleterious effect on pedestrian safety. Countermeasures concerning the road layout or enforcement seem possible to mitigate this deleterious effect.