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S' TSU SAN JOSE STATE 'J UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY 
LONG BEACH 
Assessing the Perceived Safety of Cyclists with Virtual Reality Project 2327 
March 2025 
Vahid Balali, PhD 
Introduction 
Cyclist safety remains a critical issue in urban 
transportation planning, as non-motorized traveler 
fatalities, including bicyclists, have been steadily 
increasing. Despite the health and environmental 
benefts of cycling, perceptions and concerns about 
safety continue to deter individuals from adopting 
cycling as a primary mode of transportation.
Addressing these concerns is paramount to fostering 
safer and more inclusive urban roadways. 
Tis research investigates the use of Immersive Virtual 
Environment (IVE) technology to evaluate cyclists’ 
perceived safety and behavioral responses under 
various roadway designs. By leveraging a bike simulator 
integrated with virtual reality (VR) and biometric 
sensors, the study ofers a cost-efective, controlled,
and safe method for assessing cyclist behavior in real-
world scenarios. Tis approach enables researchers to 
model environmental and design factors infuencing 
cyclists’ perceived safety, providing actionable insights 
for enhancing transportation infrastructure. 
Study Methods 
Te study utilized an IVE-based bike simulator 
designed to replicate real-world cycling conditions.
Te simulator consisted of a stationary unisex city 
bicycle equipped with various sensors to translate 
cyclists’ physical actions into virtual interactions.
Immersive visuals were provided through a head-
mounted display (HMD) with positional tracking.Te 
simulator captured key physiological and behavioral 
data, including gaze direction, heart rate (HR), speed,
and lane positioning. 
Te experiment focused on three roadway design 
scenarios: (1) as-built shared bike lanes (sharrows), (2) 
curbside bike lanes, and (3) protected bike lanes with 
fexible delineators. Fifty participants cycled through 
these environments in the IVE and completed pre- 
and post-simulation surveys to assess perceived safety 
and attitudes toward cycling. Te virtual environment 
was calibrated to replicate a real-world road segment 
in Long Beach, California, at a 1:1 scale. Te virtual 
roadway was designed based on two weeks of real-
world trafc data. 
Findings 
Te study produced several key fndings that highlight 
the impact of roadway design on cyclists’ perceived 
safety and behavior: 
C S U  T  R  A N S P O R  T  A  T  I O N  C  O N S O R  T  I  U M transweb.sjsu.edu/csutc 
Project 2327  March 2025 M I  N E  T  A  T  R  A N S P O R  T  A  T  I O N  I  N S T  I  T  U  T  E
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
      
 
 
 
 
 
 
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• Perceived Safety: Participants rated the protected
bike lane with fexible delineators as the safest
roadway design. However, the diference in
perceived safety between curbside and protected
bike lanes was minimal, indicating that both
designs signifcantly improve cyclists’ comfort
compared to shared bike lanes.
Te study revealed that protected bike lanes 
with fexible delineators signifcantly enhance 
cyclists’ perceived safety, reduce stress levels,
and improve behavioral focus compared to 
shared bike lanes. 
• Cycling Behavior:Te protected bike lane scenario 
was associated with the lowest cycling speeds and
the greatest lateral distance from vehicle lanes.
Tese behaviors suggest a safer cycling experience
due to reduced speeds and increased separation
from motorized trafc.
• Gaze Metrics: Participants demonstrated higher
gaze concentration and fewer distractions in the
curbside and protected bike lane scenarios.
• Physiological Responses: Lower HR changes
were observed in curbside and protected bike
lanes, indicating reduced stress levels compared
to shared bike lanes. Tis fnding underscores
the potential of separated bike lanes to enhance
cyclists’ psychological well-being.
• Gender Diferences: Female participants reported
lower perceived safety for shared bike lanes
and higher preferences for protected bike lanes,
consistent with existing literature. However, no
signifcant gender diferences were observed in
objective behavioral or physiological responses.
• Validity of the IVE: Te IVE bike simulator
demonstrated strong relative and absolute validity
for most performance metrics, suggesting its
efectiveness as a tool for replicating real-world
cycling conditions. However, discrepancies in
vertical gaze and head movement data highlighted
limitations in modeling complex real-world
features, such as road irregularities.
Policy Recommendations 
Te fndings emphasize the importance of investing 
in protected and curbside bike lanes to enhance 
perceived and actual safety for cyclists. Tese designs 
not only improve behavioral and physiological 
responses but also address gender disparities in 
perceived safety, promoting more equitable cycling 
infrastructure. Policymakers and planners should 
prioritize roadway designs that provide greater 
separation from motorized trafc. 
Additionally, the use of IVE technology ofers a 
promising avenue for future research and infrastructure 
evaluation. Te low cost, safety, and replicability 
of IVE experiments make them a valuable tool for 
testing new designs and understanding user behavior.
Future studies should focus on larger and more diverse 
participant samples, incorporate additional sensor 
measurements, and explore various urban settings to 
validate and expand upon these fndings. 
About the Author 
Vahid Balali, PhD 
Dr. Balali is a transportation researcher specializing 
in virtual reality applications and cyclist safety. He 
leads innovative studies on human factors and non-
motorized traveler behavior. 
To Learn More 
For more details about the study, download the full 
report at transweb.sjsu.edu/research/2327 
MTI is a University Transportation Center sponsored by the 
U.S. Department of Transportation’s Ofce of the Assistant 
Secretary for Research and Technology and by Caltrans. Te 
Institute is located within San José State University’s Lucas 
Graduate School of Business. 
transweb.sjsu.edu/csutc C S U  T  R  A N S P O R  T  A  T  I O N  C  O N S O R  T  I  U M


Assessing the Perceived Safety of Cyclists with Virtual Reality [Brief]

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