A study found it is safer to let cyclists determine when it is safe to roll through a stop rather than requiring them to stop. It also helps to tell motorists when the law permits it.
No one wants to be hit by a car, and bicycling on busy city streets inspires situational awareness. The Idaho stop, where cyclists can roll through if they deem it safe, has long been understood to give riders more options and safety. Another study confirms this, as Electrek reports:
The study found that cyclists preferred the Idaho stop method (which is pretty obvious for a vehicle that works largely by maintaining momentum), but also that when drivers received an education about the rolling stop sign law for cyclists, they approached intersections slower than before and created fewer dangerous scenarios for the cyclists.
Alvin explained, "The main takeaway from the study is that a rolling stop law allowed people biking to do an action they preferred in treating a stop sign as a yield. And once drivers were educated, intersection interactions between people biking and driving were no more dangerous than before introducing the law."
In other words, safety increased instead of decreasing when an Idaho stop was permitted and when drivers were informed of the law.
Previously:
• Idaho law lets your boss sue you if you get a better job
