Current solutions for measuring bicycle behaviour often use trackers or big data software, posing critical issues with regard to privacy and social inclusion for adolescents. The Bicycle Barometer uses a unique combination of a teacher-supported citizen science methodology with a low-cost web platform. It engages cities, schools, students and authorities into an educational traffic safety dialogue and collects large amounts of data while guaranteeing low cost and high individual privacy. The project creates content for knowledge sharing between schools and cities, and for dissemination via media channels. The project may lead to commercial exploitation and business spin-off opportunities. It targets teenagers who are usually not involved in decision-making. As adult citizens of the future they learn to gather information and raise their voice in a cooperative manner, while exchanging experiences and views with their peers.

Mobile phone apps and trackers for minors can be problematic:

• Big data privacy and ethics rules
• High cost leads to inaccessibility for under-resourced schools and students
• Apps drain the battery of smartphones, making them unpopular with teenagers
• “Tech” solutions offer no structured process to facilitate interaction with peers and authorities

Bicycle Barometer is a low cost web platform that can be used from any school PC, with a teacher-led methodology to encourage student participation and open reflection. Our solution offers standardized data analytics and GIS-based reporting, enabling students to share improvement recommendations with cities and authorities in a trusted dialogue. Bicycle Barometer collects no personal student data and it measures subjective aspects of teenagers’ traffic safety, both on safe and unsafe (cross)roads. It provides cities with new data to involve young citizens in the mobility debate, which enables to understand safety perception and safest routes to school.

The UGent Bicycle Barometer is currently already used by over 70 high schools and over 300 classes in Flanders, Belgium. We are currently talking with European cities and consulting partners to see if the project can be further rolled out across Europe.

The target group of this project consists of:

• High school students and teachers
• Cities & local traffic authorities (e.g. police)
• European youth cycling safety stakeholders

The UGent Bicycle Barometer is a proven and tested solution. It has been successfully rolled out with 70 high schools in Flanders, who are using it on annual basis to make students familiar with citizen science and GIS data analysis and to establish a traffic safety dialogue with local authorities. The solution has shown its ability to identify dangerous traffic points and to stimulate a lasting change in student bicycle behaviour (e.g. choosing less dangerous routes to school).

• High school students between the age of 12 – 18 as active participants (+1500 students so far)
• High school teachers are trained to deploy the solution with their students (2 or more per school x 70 schools)
• 6 European cities in 5 countries have expressed interest to adopt the solution
• Knowledge partner University of Tartu is interested to support with project implementation and data analytics
• Bicycle safety stakeholders and the general public are interested to support further (European Cyclists' Federation)

• Financial funding of further development
• Translation from Dutch into other languages for European roll-out
• Localization of GIS cartography for every participating school
• Convincing municipalities and local police to act on the results and invest in safer infrastructure
• Extension of the platform towards mobile app will encounter legal/privacy concerns

• Local or European funding to keep the solution free of charge
• Finding partners for European roll-out (universities, cities, companies)
• Connecting with target groups over social media to influence traffic safety behaviour
• Train the trainer courses for school teachers
• MOOC (multimedia) support

• The solution will be rolled out to +100 Belgian cities and high schools
• 6 European cities have expressed interest to implement the solution

• Keep it simple: no fancy technology
• Start small and scale up afterwards
• Use classroom peer dynamics to influence adolescents
• Involve teachers from the start
• Be careful with privacy legislation (GDPR)
• Be aware of social exclusion (e.g. not all students can afford bicycles)
• Keep it free of charge for schools