Kastiratas kui ohutu transpordivahend lapsele

Käesoleva lõputöö teema valik oli ajendatud Politsei- ja Piirivalveameti soovist seoses võimaliku tõusutrendiga kastirataste kasutusele tulekust meie liikluskeskkonnas. Kastiratta soetamisele aitavad kaasa Keskkonnainvesteeringute Keskuse poolne toetusmeede, tervislikumate eluviiside poole püüdlemine, soov linnatingimustes kiiremini liikuda ning sihipärane teavitustöö kastiratta kasulikkusest. Kastiratta kasutamisel kaasneb ka laste transportimine. Seega on oluline, et kastiratas oleks transpordivahendina laste jaoks ohutu.

Autor püstitas oma lõputöö eesmärgi saavutamiseks uurimisülesanded: leida varasemaid uuringuid kastirattaga lapse transportimisel, uurida kastiratastele kehtivaid tehnilisi nõudeid, lapse transportimiseks kehtivaid ohutusnõudeid, hinnata kastiratta sõiduomadusi ja olemasoleva taristu sobilikkust kastiratastele ning uurida lapsi transportivaid jalgrattureid.

Ametlikke uuringuid kastirattaga lapse transportimisel, millele tugineda, ei ole. Seega vajadus nende järele on. Autor peab oluliseks teha ohutuse alaseid uuringuid ka kastiratta kastile ning analüüsida taristut, kas keskkond, kus liiklemine toimub, on ohutu.

Seadusandluses ei ole kastiratast kui sellist defineeritud. Kuna tegemist on eraldiseisva sõiduki liigiga, siis tuleb seda kindlasti teha. Nõuded lapse transportimisele kastirattaga ei ole samuti reguleeritud. Tehniliste nõuete osas kastirattale on välja töötamisel Euroopa Liidu poolne standard, mis võtab veel aega ning kindlasti tuleb selles sätestatu kohandada Eesti oludele.

Autor viis läbi erinevatel kastiratastel sõidukatsetused, mis jagunesid pöörderaadiuse määramiseks, pidurdusteekonna välja selgitamiseks erinevatel kiirustel ning juhitavuse katsetuseks reaalsetes liiklusoludes. Katsetuste tulemusena saab autor väita, et kastirattaga sõitmine erineb suuresti traditsioonilisest jalgrattaga sõitmisest. Tulevased kastiratturid peavad kindlasti õppima tundma enda sõiduki juhtimisomadusi ja eripärasid.

Küsitluse tulemustest selgub, et traditsioonilise jalgrattaga lapsi transportivaid inimesi on rohkem (70% vastanutest) kui kastirattaga. Kastiratta soetamise huvi on aga vastanute seas olemas.

Küsitluse tulemusena selgub, et lapsele kehtivate ohutusnõuete täitmine kastiratta juhtide poolt on suuremalt jaolt reeglitepärane. Küll aga puudub reeglistik kastiratta kasutajale ja kastirattale ning liikluskeskkonnas on põhilisteks murekohtadeks nii liikluskasvatus kui ka taristu ja selle hooldamine.

Autor teeb järgmised ettepanekud olukorra parendamiseks: • Viia liiklusseadusesse sisse kastiratta mõiste ning kehtestada kastirattale, selle kasutajale ning kastirattaga liiklemisele reeglid. • Kohandada Euroopa Liidus kastirattale väljatöötamisel standardid Eestile omaseks. • Teostada ohutusalaseid katseid kastiratta kastile. • Selgitada välja taristu kitsaskohad kastirataste kasutamise seisukohalt ja teha vajalikud muudatused ohutuse tagamiseks. • Teha kastirataste müüjatele kohustuseks tutvustada tulevasele kastiratta omanikule sellise sõiduki eripärasid ja sõiduomadusi, laste ohutut transportimist ja kaubaveo võimalusi kastirattal. • Tutvustada koolieelsetes lasteasutustes liikluskasvatuse õppeprogrammides lastele kastiratast. • Arendada tõhusamat teavitustööd mootorsõidukijuhtidele ja jalakäijatele üksteisega arvestamise osas.

Kokkuvõtvalt – käesoleva töö käigus sai selgeks, et kastiratta ohutus lapse transportimisel tänases seadusruumis ja ka liikluskorralduses ei ole tagatud. Kastirataste kasutuselevõtt on aga tõusutrendis. Küsimus kui kiiresti ja mis mastaabis ei ole hetkel prognoositav. Siinkohal tulebki alustada kiiremas korras kastiratta seadustamisega, katsetamisega ning taristu viimisega vastavusse kastiratastega liiklemise jaoks.

The following thesis Cargo bike as a safe transportation for a child analyzed whether carrying a child or children by cargo bike is safe. The research was initiated by Estonian Police and Border Guard Bord. The reason for the reasearch has risen due to potential growth for cargo bike usage.

Firstly, Estonian Environmental Investment Centre worked out grant for cargo bikes. The aim is to support private and legal persons up to 50% of the price of cargo bikes with electric motor, but not more than 1 000 euros. Secondly, people are becoming more aware about their health and the environment they are living in. Thirdly, moving around by cargo bike in urban area is faster and more convenient. Fourthly, companies have cooperation project that aims to encourage employees to move greener.

To achieve the goal of the thesis, the following research tasks were set: • what are the previous studies for transporting a child on cargo bike; • what are the technical requirements for cargo bike; • what are the safety requirements for transporting a child in cargo bike; • what is the existing infrastructure for cargo bikes; • evaluation of the driving characteristics of the cargo bike; • conducting a survey to get an overview of people who transport children on bicycles.

There are no official studies about transportation of children on a cargo bike. Therefore, there is a need for them. The author considers it is important to carry out research on the cargo bike box as well, in addition to analyzing the infrastructure, whether the environment where the traffic takes place is safe.

In terms of legislation, the cargo bike is not defined as such. Since it is a specific type of vehicle, it must be done. The requirements for transporting a child in a cargo bike are also not regulated. Regarding the technical requirements for the cargo bike, an European Union standard is being developed, which will take some time, and its provisions must definitely be adapted to Estonian conditions.

The author conducted driving tests on different cargo bikes, which were divided into determining the turning radius, determining the braking distance at different speeds, and testing the handling in real traffic conditions. As a result, the author can state that riding a cargo bike is very different from traditional cycling. Future cargo bike riders must definitely learn about the driving characteristics and peculiarities of their own vehicle.

Results of the survey indicate that there are more people who transport children with a traditional bicycle (70% of the respondents) than with a cargo bike. However, there is an interest in purchasing a cargo bike among the respondents.

There is no set of rules for the user of the cargo bike and the cargo bike itself, and the main concerns in the traffic environment are traffic education as well as the infrastructure and its maintenance.

The author makes the following suggestions to improve the situation: • Introduce the concept of cargo bike into the Traffic Act and establish rules for the cargo bike, its user and driving with a cargo bike. • The upcoming cargo bike standard of the European Union should be adapted to Estonian conditions. • Perform tests on the cargo bike box. • Find out the bottlenecks of the infrastructure in terms of using cargo bikes and make the necessary changes to ensure safety. • To obligate the salespeople of cargo bikes to introduce the future owner of a cargo bike to special features and driving characteristics of this type of vehicle, the safe transportation of children and the possibilities of transporting goods on a cargo bike. • Introduce the cargo bike to children in traffic educational programs in preschools. • To develop more effective outreach for motor vehicle drivers and pedestrians regarding consideration for each other.

In conclusion, in the course of this work, it became clear that the cargo bike as a safe transportation for children is not guaranteed in today's legal space and also in traffic regulations. However, the adoption of cargo bikes is on the rise. How quickly and on what scale cannot be predicted at the moment. At this point, it is necessary to start as soon as possible with the legalization of the cargo bike, testing and bringing the infrastructure in line with the traffic with cargo bike.