The finding of this research report, published in 2011, suggest that if women's cycling needs were addressed, the modal share of bicycle commuting could be increased. Investigation of cycling barriers indicated that women are more concerned than men about safety issues associated with cycling, with being able to carry daily items while cycling, and with the need to fix their hair on arrival. In analysis of desired improvements, women were found to place a higher value on bicycle maps and literature but share similar facility preferences with men.
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High proportions of both genders indicated a desire for bicycle lanes, more pathways, and more direct bicycle routes. Analysis of falls and collisions suggested that men and women experience a similar number of falls per unit of exposure, while men experience more collisions per unit of exposure than women do.
The research was published in the TRB’s Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2190 which contained six papers that explore the influence of the built environment on route selection for bicycle and car travel; automated bicycle counts; multimodal travel choices of bicyclists; effects of gender on commuter cycling and accident rates; on-street bicycle facility configuration effects on bicyclist and motorist behavior; and parking lane width effect on bicycle operating space.