Cycling has become more popular over the years. The profile of cycling has been raised in recent years in the UK by events such as the Tour De France & The London Olympics. More people are choosing cycling as their preferred method of transport or as a hobby. However recent research by the Royal Society for the prevention of Accidents has shown amongst 20’000 people were injured as a result of a cycling accident in the UK (figures reported in August 2014). These are reported accidents and some may result in a personal injury claim and in addition there will be many more that go unreported.
Tips for cycling on roads
- Cycling safely
- Follow the Highway Code: Don’t cycle on the pavement unless it’s a designated cycle path and don’t go through red lights
- Watch your speed in wet weather especially, when the road is wet you may slip and it takes longer to stop
- Don’t cycle too close to the curb and ride in a position you can be seen
- Wear a Helmet and high visibility or reflective clothing at night
- Use your bike lights at night
- Keep your bike roadworthy
- Take extra care at junctions and make eye contact with road users
- Signal clearly
- Use your bell to warn pedestrians if you have one.
Good Advice for Cyclists
Many cycling accidents happen when a vehicle is turning left. Take extra care when you see that a vehicle is indicating left and don’t ever assume they have seen you. Do not undertake.
Don’t cycle next to lorries and buses.
When turning left, a lorry will often pull out to the right first, creating a wide gap between the vehicle and the kerb. Many cyclists think it’s safe to ride into this space, but this is a dangerous place to be as the gap quickly disappears when the lorry swings around to the left.
Tips for other motorists
- When turning left watch for cyclists coming up on your near side and don’t cut them up
- Take extra care at junctions to look for cyclists, often motorists are focused on looking at the other vehicles and do not notice the cyclists.
- Overtake with plenty of space when it’s safe to do so.
- At night, dip your headlights when approaching cyclists;
- In wet weather, allow cyclists extra room as surfaces may be slippery.
Whiterose Blackmans Solicitors are Personal Injury Claims Solicitors in Leeds who can legally represent you for all types of personal injury claims. Leeds 0113 2165507.