Cycle accidents could be reduced simply by having more cycles on the road under the 'safety in numbers' theory. The approach has already been proven by studies in The Netherlands, Denmark, and California.

In the UK, on average, someone who regularly cycles will experience a ‘very scary’ near miss once a week.

Pre-Covid figures showed that there were 16,884 cyclists injured in road accidents reported to the police. A further 4,433 were seriously injured and 100 were killed. The only accurate figure here was the number killed. This is because not all accidents are reported to the police, even the ones resulting in injury serious enough to have to seek hospital treatment.

Danger zones

Almost two thirds of accidents occur at or near junctions, particularly T junctions. The most common cause of the accident is either the driver or cyclist failing to look properly.

Other factors where cars were involved included clipping the cycle by passing too closely, knocking the cyclist off by opening the car door without looking and hitting the rear of the cycle.

Highway Code

Recent changes to the Highway Code have been introduced to improve the safety of cyclists. These include:

Dutch Reach

This involves opening the car door with the hand on the opposite side to the door itself. This forces you to turn your body, giving you a better chance of seeing an approaching cyclist and restricting how far the door can be opened.

Junctions

Simply put, whoever is going straight ahead has priority, unless there are traffic lights in operation. This rule is common right across Europe and applies to drivers, cyclists or pedestrians.

Passing distances

A minimum safe passing distance of 1.5m is recommended. This should be increased to 2m in bad weather and for all heavy goods vehicles.

Recovering compensation

Over the years, our personal injury lawyers have worked with many injured cyclists, helping them to recover lost income and/or additional expenses they have incurred because of their injury. Tragically though, we also see fatal cases which often leave families with financial worries on top of their grief. In these cases, we work with the dependents to recover compensation that will help provide them with financial security.

Katrina Elsey , Personal Injury Expert says: “Cyclists are more vulnerable to injury on the road. Many cyclists are injured as a result of vehicles speeding and driver’s failing to keep a proper lookout as a result of driving too fast. Drivers should ensure they are cautious when in close proximity of cyclists and drive to the speed limit."

Data from the Department for Transport indicates that in 2022 85% of the car drivers in the UK broke the law by driving faster than the speed limit in 20mph zones. On roads with a 30mph maximum, 50% of car drivers broke the law. Research conducted by Brake found that 71% of driver’s don’t know what distance to keep from a vehicle infront of them.

Katrina added: "I represent many cyclists injured through no fault of their own due to other drivers not paying adequate attention on the roads. It is vital that all road users take care at all times. If you are unfortunate to have been involved in a cycle accident specialist legal advice is required as this can ensure you have access to rehabilitation and expert support to guide you through the legal process and overcome the injury."

If you've been injured in a cycling accident and would like to speak to one of our personal injury experts, please call us on 01302 320621 or email help@switalskis.com