A quarter of Swiss bicycle riders forgo lights at night

Keystone/gaetan Bally

One in four people on a conventional bicycle rides without lights at night or at dusk.

This rate is much lower among users of fast electric bikes (2%) and slow electric bikes (9%), the Accident Prevention Bureau announced on Tuesday.

Since 2022, it has been compulsory for electric bicycles to be ridden with their lights on, even during the day. The vast majority (91%) of fast e-bike users comply with this rule. On slow electric bikes, on the other hand, one person in four rides during the day with the lights off. When night falls, electric bikes generally have their lights on. This is the case for 98% of fast models and 91% of slow models.

At night, the risk of an accident involving a conventional or electric bicycle is 1.5 times higher than during the day. For pedestrians, the risk is even twice as high. Only 5% of cyclists wear reflective clothing at night or at dusk.

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