Road Safety Advice for Drivers & Cyclists who #ShareTheSpace on Warwickshire’s Roads

Road safety advice for drivers and cyclists who #ShareTheSpace on Warwickshire’s roads

With increasing numbers of cyclists using the county’s roads, Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership is asking all road users to please #ShareTheSpace and to leave plenty of room when overtaking cyclists on the county’s roads.

Sergeant Shaun Bridle said “With an increasing number of cyclists using our roads it is more important than ever for all those involved to share the road responsibly and to work together to keep all road users safe. Cyclists do not have the same protection as a driver sitting in a vehicle and even relatively minor contact can seriously injure them. 

“We are reminding drivers that cyclists can be difficult to see, especially at junctions, have a tendency to wobble, and are easily affected by side wind when being overtaken. Cyclists are also particularly vulnerable at roundabouts as they cannot move off very quickly.

“It is really important to leave plenty of space – at least 1.5m or a car’s width when overtaking a cyclist as they may have to move out into the road to avoid hazards like drains, potholes or debris.“

Cycling UK have produced a Too Close for Comfort video to show drivers what it’s like to be close passed so non cyclists can understand it from a cyclist’s perspective.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kgPt-lNYGY

Cyclists too can take action to help keep themselves safe on the roads.  It’s important to check your bike regularly – especially the brakes, make sure you can be seen by wearing hi-vis and to take extra care at junctions where three quarters of cyclist collisions happen. It’s also a legal requirement to cycle with lights between sunset and sunrise.

Click here for tips and advice for both drivers and cyclists from RoSPA

https://www.rospa.com/rospaweb/docs/advice-services/road-safety/cyclists/sharing-the-road.pdf

The advice is being shared as part of a national campaign between 6 -19 September 2021 to improve the safety of the increasing numbers of cyclists, pedestrians, horse riders and motorcyclists using Warwickshire’s roads. We can all play a part in reducing the number of casualties on our roads

The nights are also starting to draw in as we move into autumn making visibility more challenging and to help counter this, WRSP is also offering hi vis items to cyclists and other road users during the campaign to use if they wish. 

Members of the public can also help improve road safety in Warwickshire by reporting and submitting digital footage showing potential traffic offences including driving dangerously or carelessly to overtaking on solid white lines, using a mobile phone while driving, ignoring traffic lights or dangerous driving around other road users, such as horse riders and cyclists as part of Operation Snap https://www.warwickshire.police.uk/operationsnap

The public consultation on Warwickshire’s road safety ‘Strategy to 2030’ closes on Wednesday 15 September 2021 and all road users are encouraged to take part.  The details can be found at www.warksroadsafety.org

Please follow and like us on Facebook @WarwickshireRoadSafety and on Twitter @WarksRoadSafety or search #SharetheSpace.   Please remember, we need your help to make our roads safer for everyone.

Notes for editors

Two (4 in 2019) cyclists were killed and 29 (24 in 2019) were seriously injured on Warwickshire’s roads in 2020.  The age groups most affected are 11-15 year olds and 46-55 year olds, although all age groups are affected up to the 86-90 age group.

Pre COVID, 12% (or four people) were killed cycling in Warwickshire in 2019.  In percentage terms, this is twice the national average of 6%.  In the same period a further 24 cyclists were seriously injured and 74 cyclists suffered slight injuries.

The Government has said that in 2020 the number of miles cycled on British roads increased by 45.7% to 5bn. 

Road safety advice for drivers and cyclists who #ShareTheSpace on Warwickshire’s roads

With increasing numbers of cyclists using the county’s roads, Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership is asking all road users to please #ShareTheSpace and to leave plenty of room when overtaking cyclists on the county’s roads.

Sergeant Shaun Bridle said “With an increasing number of cyclists using our roads it is more important than ever for all those involved to share the road responsibly and to work together to keep all road users safe. Cyclists do not have the same protection as a driver sitting in a vehicle and even relatively minor contact can seriously injure them. 

“We are reminding drivers that cyclists can be difficult to see, especially at junctions, have a tendency to wobble, and are easily affected by side wind when being overtaken. Cyclists are also particularly vulnerable at roundabouts as they cannot move off very quickly.

“It is really important to leave plenty of space – at least 1.5m or a car’s width when overtaking a cyclist as they may have to move out into the road to avoid hazards like drains, potholes or debris.“

Cycling UK have produced a Too Close for Comfort video to show drivers what it’s like to be close passed so non cyclists can understand it from a cyclist’s perspective.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kgPt-lNYGY

Cyclists too can take action to help keep themselves safe on the roads.  It’s important to check your bike regularly – especially the brakes, make sure you can be seen by wearing hi-vis and to take extra care at junctions where three quarters of cyclist collisions happen. It’s also a legal requirement to cycle with lights between sunset and sunrise.

Click here for tips and advice for both drivers and cyclists from RoSPA

https://www.rospa.com/rospaweb/docs/advice-services/road-safety/cyclists/sharing-the-road.pdf

The advice is being shared as part of a national campaign between 6 -19 September 2021 to improve the safety of the increasing numbers of cyclists, pedestrians, horse riders and motorcyclists using Warwickshire’s roads. We can all play a part in reducing the number of casualties on our roads

The nights are also starting to draw in as we move into autumn making visibility more challenging and to help counter this, WRSP is also offering hi vis items to cyclists and other road users during the campaign to use if they wish. 

Members of the public can also help improve road safety in Warwickshire by reporting and submitting digital footage showing potential traffic offences including driving dangerously or carelessly to overtaking on solid white lines, using a mobile phone while driving, ignoring traffic lights or dangerous driving around other road users, such as horse riders and cyclists as part of Operation Snap https://www.warwickshire.police.uk/operationsnap

The public consultation on Warwickshire’s road safety ‘Strategy to 2030’ closes on Wednesday 15 September 2021 and all road users are encouraged to take part.  The details can be found at www.warksroadsafety.org

Please follow and like us on Facebook @WarwickshireRoadSafety and on Twitter @WarksRoadSafety or search #SharetheSpace.   Please remember, we need your help to make our roads safer for everyone.

The Government has said that in 2020 the number of miles cycled on British roads increased by 45.7% to 5bn. 

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