Bicycle Safety: The Bike Box

A recent Forbes article notes that injuries and fatalities of pedestrians and cyclists have steadily increased since 2009—at a significantly higher rate than motor vehicle fatalities. From 2011 to 2012, pedestrian deaths rose 6% and bicyclist fatalities were up nearly 7%. These road users lack the speed, power, and protective "shell" that a motor vehicle affords drivers, and it is an important responsibility of every driver to ensure their safety.

Traditional Safe-Driving Techniques

The safety of bicyclists and walkers is generally enhanced by limiting the driving speed of motor vehicles and by separating motor vehicles from these road users as much as possible. In a practical sense, this means that drivers should remain vigilant for cyclists and pedestrians, slow down when operating a motor vehicle near them, and give them a generous space cushion—a minimum of three feet between a motor vehicle and a bicycle.

These tips remain helpful, but other steps are being taken at the infrastructure level to enhance the safety of bicyclists.

Bike Box/Advanced Stop Lines

A bike box (also referred to as an advanced stop line or advanced stop box) is a system of road markings employed at signalized intersections to allow certain vehicle types a head start when the traffic signal changes from red to green. The markings include a green box on the roadway with a white bicycle symbol inside, and include a green bicycle lane approaching and leading from the box. There are two parallel stop lines at the intersection: the first, at which all traffic except for the specified users (usually bicyclists, but sometimes buses or motorcycles) must stop; and a second, closer to the intersection, to which only the specified users may proceed. Signage may inform road users of the meaning of the extra stop line. Separate signals may be provided for the specific traffic, but usually all vehicles use the same signals.

The primary goal of this set-up is to prevent, through enhanced visibility and awareness, collisions between motorists who are turning right and cyclists who are going straight. At a red light, cyclists are more visible to motorists because they are in front of them. At a green light, the bike lane through the intersection reminds motorists and cyclists to watch for one another.

When the traffic signal is yellow or red, motorists must stop behind the white stop line that is behind the bike box. Don't stop on top of or "in" the bike box; keep it clear for cyclists' use. A right-turn-on-red may not be made at these intersections. When the light turns green, motorists and cyclists may move through the intersection as usual, with cyclists proceeding first. Motorists turning right on the green should signal and watch for cyclists to the right, especially in the green bike lane in the intersection.

Cyclists enter the bike box from the approaching green bike lane, stopping before the crosswalk on a yellow or red traffic signal. When the light is green, cyclists proceed as usual, taking care to watch for right-turning motor vehicles.

(The City of Portland's (Oregon) Office of Transportation publishes a helpful brochure to introduce motorists to this newer arrangement.)