Oliver Juhan Ed Kari, a recent master's graduate from Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), examined traffic crashes involving cyclists and electric scooters in Tallinn between 2019 and 2024. Based on open data from the Police and Border Guard Board and the Transport Administration, his analysis identified 15 intersections and crossing areas where the highest number of crashes occurred.

"More than half of these intersections were located in Põhja-Tallinn or Kesklinn. The most dangerous locations were those where cars travel at higher speeds and make turns at high speed across shared-use paths," Kari told Vikerraadio.

According to the master's thesis, the danger posed by an intersection is determined not only by the number of crashes but also by its traffic design. At the most problematic locations, cars, cyclists, electric scooter riders and pedestrians all occupy the same space, with their paths crossing within a short distance.

The author found that the situation is made particularly hazardous by wide turning radii, which allow motorists to navigate intersections at higher speeds, as well as poor visibility and layouts in which a shared-use path crosses the roadway immediately after a turn. "A car can be repaired in a body shop, but putting a person back together is much more difficult," Kari said.

The study also found that intersections play an important role in how people perceive risk. Electric scooter riders often approach intersections at higher speeds than cyclists and their stopping distance may be longer than expected.

According to the analysis, the most dangerous location was the intersection area of Endla tänav, Tehnika tänav and Luise tänav near Kristiine Center. Kari said several risk factors converge there: high vehicle turning speeds, a wide intersection and a shared-use path that crosses multiple traffic lanes. "As a vulnerable road user, I would not choose to cross that intersection," he said.

Kari explained that motorists often perceive more space at wide intersections and tend to accelerate, while cyclists and electric scooter riders must monitor several streams of traffic at the same time.

Although the master's thesis focuses primarily on infrastructure, the author emphasized that road design is not the sole cause of crashes. In his view, the risk-taking behavior of cyclists and electric scooter riders differs significantly. The higher speeds and quicker acceleration of electric scooters can lead riders to misjudge their stopping distance. "People don't realize how much earlier they need to start braking to avoid hitting someone at an intersection or falling themselves," Kari said. Electric scooters also often travel several times faster than pedestrians, meaning unexpected encounters on sidewalks and at crossing points can quickly become dangerous.

The thesis concludes that efforts to improve traffic safety should focus primarily on redesigning intersections. According to the author, crashes could be reduced through measures that physically separate different types of road users, improve visibility and force vehicles to slow down at intersections. As one example, he pointed to a planned pedestrian and cycling tunnel in the Kristiine area that would allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross the railroad without interacting with vehicle traffic.

At the same time, he emphasized that it is not feasible to rebuild every intersection with tunnels or overpasses because such solutions are expensive. Instead, simpler measures should also be pursued, such as reducing turning speeds, improving visibility and designing intersections so road users have more time to see one another and react.

The master's thesis places Tallinn's situation in the context of broader mobility trends. The rapid growth of electric scooters and other forms of micromobility has increased the number of vulnerable road users, but infrastructure and traffic management have not kept pace everywhere. According to the author, this means intersection design should increasingly follow the principles of a "forgiving" traffic system, in which human error does not result in a serious crash.

Kari said traffic safety cannot be improved simply by changing the behavior of road users. It is equally important to design urban spaces in a way that minimizes dangerous conflict points and gives different types of road users sufficient time to notice one another and react.

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