Design and acceptance of a multi-perspective gamified digital cycling safety training

Abstract

The study at hand builds on the online cycling training program Level Up Your Ride. Level Up Your Ride was launched nationwide in Switzerland in a project led by the cycling advocacy organisation Pro Velo Switzerland. The training program targets adult cyclists and consists of four levels, each separated by one week. In addition to providing cyclists with insights into everyday hazardous traffic situations—aligning with Level 2 of the Goals of Driving Education (GDE) - the training includes elements addressing GDE Level 3 skills, as well as content specific content for e-bike riders and car drivers, allowing for taking perspectives of other road users. The training was launched in April 2025, with over 20,000 people signing up. By July 2025, 11,000 adults had completed the program – each of them spending 30 minutes on voluntary cycling training. The training program will be launched again in April 2026. An accompanying field study has demonstrated the effectiveness of Level Up Your Ride. Evaluating the acceptance of such a training is equally important, as is understanding how to effectively reach participants. The large participant base allows for a detailed segmentation of users according to socio-demographic characteristics, cycling habits, use of other transport modes, and region.