Micromobility users’ behaviours study using mixed method approach

Introduction. The European Commission has set ambitious goals for reducing transport emissions in cities. One of the main actions is to develop micromobility especially low-impact motorised personal light electric vehicles (PLEV) such as e-scooters and monowheels. However, micromobility raise creates new interactions, new driving behaviours and increases risks, eg. in France 35 users were killed in 2022.

Goals and methods. This paper aims to analyse the behaviours and risky situations faced by e-scooter and e-monowheel users in France through a naturalistic study. A total of 56 e-scooters and 25 e-monowheels were observed for two months in three French regions: Marseille (n=29), Lyon (n=29), and Paris (n=23). Smartphones were mounted on each vehicle to collect vehicle dynamics data and video footage of the road ahead. An interface enabled the riders to report risky situations during their trips. Monthly video-based interviews were conducted to document the specificities of risky situations. Data processing consists in integrating all the collected data to provide a comprehensive view of behaviours in critical situations.

Results. The study recorded 4779 trips and 443 risky situations. E-scooter users mostly make short commuting trips, while e-monowheels take longer and more varied trips. E-monowheel users are more likely to wear safety gear compared to e-scooter users, who often wear only helmets or no protection at all. E-scooter users also face greater risk exposure, with one risky situation occurring every 110 minutes, compared to every 182 minutes for e-monowheel users. The main cause of incidents appears to be non-compliance with traffic rules, either by PLEV or other road users.

Conclusion. From a methodological standpoint, this study reinforces the usefulness of data combination (ie. subjective and objective data) in understanding human behaviour. Paper insists on how this emerging mixed-method research can shape the dynamic and evolving landscape of transport and mobility.