Investigation of Cyclist’s Distraction Due to External Auditory and Visual Stimuli

The impact of cycling-related traffic crashes on public health has increased significantly in recent decades, with cyclists being among the most vulnerable road users. The risk of severe injury in traffic crashes is notably high for cyclists, especially when distracted. Research indicates that distraction while cycling significantly increases the crash risk. This study investigates cycling distraction through a field operational test involving 100 participants. Riders followed a predetermined course while being exposed to external visual and auditory stimuli, including alarms, advertising signs, and car horns. Distraction levels were measured using eye-tracking technology. Data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, cluster, and correlation analyses. Our findings showed that auditory stimuli distract a higher percentage of cyclists, while audiovisual stimuli from road-related factors cause longer-lasting distractions. Additionally, five distraction clusters were identified based on stimulus duration. Lastly, it was found that males were more likely to belong to high-distraction clusters, whereas females and daily cyclists were more likely to fall into the lowest-distraction group.