Safety Content // Bicycle Safety: Evaluating the Safety of Our Roads*

It’s obvious to everyone that cyclists are diminishing on our roads as cars and public transport becomes more accessible and affordable. In 2014, Bicycles accounted for only 1% of the total number of vehicles used on our roads, which is a 13% decrease in cycle use since 1952 when the official figure stood at 14%. More often than not, this means that their safety is overlooked when it shouldn’t be at all. Together with True Solicitors, specialists in bicycle accident claims, we evaluate how safe our roads are when it comes to cycling.

Cycling: the British Picture
In a survey conducted in 2015 it was suggested that 1.5 million people over the age of 18 still cycled every day. Although this number seems huge it’s drastically contrasted by the 34 million people who have never cycled. However, the dwindling number of cyclists on the road is not wholely because they do not like to cycle. By analysing individual counties within the UK, the reason why Britain is uninclined to use a bicycle as a form of transport of our roads becomes clearer.

Based on the Active People Survey, 3% cycled five times a week (1.3 million) but 15% cycled at least once per month. What this suggests, is that rather than cyclists using their bike on roads to commute during the working week, they are perhaps using their bikes as a leisure activity, does form a correlation with the nature of cycling accidents throughout the UK.

In Wales, of those surveyed 6% suggested that they cycled 1-2 times a day, a similar figure to the 3% of cyclists in England who cycled five times a week. Like England and Wales, those who cycled regularly in Scotland were still below the 10% threshold of the total number of people surveyed. As a means of transport, 3% of people aged over 16 used a bicycle 1 – 2 days a week. 2% used one 3 -5 days a week, and only 1% used a bicycle nearly every day of the week.

Nationally then, the evidence suggests that Britain does not want to use a bicycle as a form of transport on our roads, but is this because of the hazards the average cyclist could face on our roads on a daily basis?

Cycling fatalities and injuries throughout the UK
Published in June 2017, a RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) Road Safety Factsheet declared that in 2015, 18,844 cyclists were injured in reported road accidents, including 3,339 who were killed or seriously injured. Those numbers are big and although roads can be unsafe in any form of transport, cycling is often seen the unsafest of all due to being exposed.

Based on these numbers, their Cycling Policy Paper in 2015 suggested that from these cycling fatalities or serious accidents, 75% of those occurred in urban areas, whilst 50% of fatalities occurred on urban roads. Of this 75% within urban areas, two-thirds of these cyclists were involved in a crash at or near a road junction, with T-junctions and roundabouts acting as particularly dangerous hazards for cyclists. As you can see the from the data, the majority of accidents do occur in urbanised areas. This is probably the reason why cyclists are unwilling to get to work via bike on British roads in areas of heavy traffic.

Following data suggests that for cyclists, the most dangerous hours of the day are between 3 – 6pm during the weekday rush hour, and 8 – 9am when commuters using other modes of transport are travelling to work. However, the research also notes that the severity of the accident is heightened by the speed limit and how fast the cyclist is travelling – with more serious and fatal injuries occurring on roads with a higher speed limit.

Accidents that did not involve another vehicle accounted for 16%, and for those with another vehicle, 57% of factors attributed to drivers were commonly regarding the idea that the ‘driver failed to look properly.’ What this reveals, is that when both cyclists and other drivers do not focus properly on the road ahead, unfortunate accidents do and can occur. A common problem with any mode of transport.

Increasing Your Safety on the Road

Cyclists face many hazards on the road, especially in urban areas. Building bike-friendly cities is one of the effective measures to reduce safety risks. However, cyclists should also be responsible for increasing their safety on the road. One way they can do that is by wearing a helmet. Wearing a helmet has proven to lessen the risk of fatal head injuries of cyclists.

Increasing one’s visibility is also a priority when riding on the road. You can wear bright-colored or reflective garments and install signal lights on your bicycle to make you more noticeable to other road users.

Finally, it’s vital to observe traffic rules. Avoid speeding up or doing stunts on crowded city streets. If you’re planning to train for an event, take your training to secluded areas, where you can freely ride as hard as you want with all your cycling training tools, techniques, and routines.

The Future of Cycling
Although there are many factors that contribute towards the number of cyclists using their bicycle every day, their safety in and around urban areas does appear to be a significant consideration. If the safety and future of cycling on a regular basis is to be guaranteed then, roads need to be accessible and usable for everyone otherwise cycling as a form of transport is going to die out.