Bike riders’ safety is being highlighted as part of national Road Safety Week (19–25 November), coordinated annually by Brake with the 2018 theme ‘Bike Smart’.
Brake is calling for drivers to be ‘Bike Smart’ by slowing down, taking care to look properly at junctions and doing the ‘Dutch reach’ to avoid car dooring [2].
Brake’s analysis has highlighted the vulnerability of those on two wheels, who, in comparison with car drivers, are 34 times more likely to be killed and 63 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured, per mile travelled, on British roads [3].
Cyclists and motorcyclists account for nearly 4 in 10 of all deaths and serious injuries on British roads, a total of 9,740 in 2017 or an average of one bike death or serious injury every hour.
Bike deaths also make up more than a quarter of all British road deaths, with a total of 101 cyclist deaths and 349 motorcyclist deaths in 2017 [4].
Two-thirds (301) of bike deaths in 2017, an average of 25 a month, took place on rural roads [5] – the highest number of bike deaths on Britain’s rural roads for more than five years.
Concerningly, the fatal crash risk facing bikes on rural roads – which accounts for miles travelled – is also at its highest since 2010 [6]. A survey of more than 1,000 drivers, commissioned by Brake for Road Safety Week, has found that the majority of drivers (52%) feel that bike riders are most vulnerable on urban roads [7].
Department for Transport statistics, however, show that rural roads pose more than three times the risk of a fatal crash for both cyclists and motorcyclists, compared with urban roads [8].
A survey of more than 2,000 motorcyclists by Road Safety Week sponsor Devitt Insurance Services, also found that 60% of motorcyclists surveyed felt vulnerable on urban roads, whereas only 14% said they felt vulnerable on rural roads [9].
The areas of the UK with the highest proportion of cyclist / motorcyclist deaths and serious injuries, in comparison with their area totals, are London (46%) and the South East (42%).
Looking solely at cyclist / motorcyclist deaths, in comparison with the area totals, London (31%) and the East Midlands (27%) have the highest proportions [10]. Further detail is available in Table 1.
Table 1: Bike KSIs and deaths as a proportion of total KSIs and deaths, by area
The analysis has been published at the start of the UK’s biggest road safety event, Road Safety Week (19–25 November), coordinated by Brake.
This year, thousands of organisations, schools and community groups are backing its ‘Bike Smart’ campaign, helping to raise awareness about the safety of those on two wheels.
Road Safety Week is calling for drivers to be ‘Bike Smart’ and be more aware of bikes by: slowing down, giving more time to spot danger and react; looking properly for bikes before pulling out at junctions; leaving at least 150cm between cars and a bike when overtaking; and by doing the ‘Dutch reach’, using the opposite hand to open a car door to help avoid ‘car dooring’ incidents.
Joshua Harris, director of campaigns for Brake, the road safety charity, said: “Every hour, a cyclist or motorcyclist is killed or seriously injured on a British road – each a tragedy that will devastate innumerable lives. Raising awareness about the safety of those on two wheels, who face much higher risk of death and serious injury than those in cars, is absolutely vital. We support the Government’s announcement of a review of the Highway Code to help keep cyclists safe and its stated focus on motorcyclists in the forthcoming road safety action plan.
“Rural roads, with their high speeds, blind bends and few cycle routes, pose particular danger to those on two wheels, with the risk of a fatal rural road bike crash now at its highest since 2010. The Government’s announced focus on rural road user safety is welcome and we encourage the consideration of rural road speed and bike-safe infrastructure, such as segregated cycle lanes, in its plans.
“Road Safety Week is a vital loudspeaker for individuals, communities and organisations to shout about road safety and raise awareness of the risks on our roads. With one bike rider being killed or seriously injured every hour in Britain, there is no better time for us all to be more ‘Bike Smart’.”
Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, NPCC lead for roads policing, said: “Road Safety Week is always an important event in the police calendar and Brake’s timely ‘Bike Smart’ theme makes this year no exception. Raising awareness of the safety of those on two wheels is absolutely crucial and we will be ensuring that forces engage with partners throughout the week to both raise awareness of the dangers and enforce the law.”
Andy Barratt, chairman and managing director, Ford of Britain, Road Safety Week sponsor, said: “Brake’s analysis provides an alarming insight into the vulnerability of those on two wheels. This Road Safety Week, we should take the time to consider how we as individuals behave on the roads and how that might affect others.”
Tom Warsop, head of marketing, Devitt Insurance Services, Road Safety Week sponsor, said: “Motorcycling is an enjoyable and sociable activity, which can help alleviate congestion on our roads, but it does come with the associated risk of being a vulnerable road user. Motorcyclists make up the largest proportion of road crash admissions to A&E, which is why we’re working with Brake for this year’s Road Safety Week to help to educate all road users to be Bike Smart and keep everyone on two wheels safe.”
Duncan Dollimore, head of campaigns at Cycling UK, said: “In recent years progress on road safety for the most vulnerable road users has stagnated, so we welcome Brake’s decision to focus on the safety of those on two wheels during road safety week. But we need road safety to be a key priority for Governments across the UK every day of the year, not just in November, and would echo Brake’s call for consideration of rural speed limits and safer infrastructure for cyclists.”
Brake volunteers:
The pain of losing Louise in a bike crash is terrible. We don’t want anyone else to lose their life or their family to suffer the terrible pain we have. The safety of cyclists can be improved by drivers being more aware of bikes and our roads having safer speeds with more bike-friendly design. We owe it to Louise’s memory to protect cyclists and so we are fully supporting this year’s Road Safety Week that is encouraging everyone to be ‘Bike Smart’.
Ben Frank and Johanna Jones, husband and sister to Louise Frank
Notes to editors:
Further details about Road Safety Week can be found at www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk
[1] Throughout this press release, the terms “bike” refers to both bicycles and motorcycles and “those on two wheels” refers to both cyclists and motorcyclists. Rural roads in the UK are defined as major and minor roads outside urban areas, in an area that has a population of less than 10,000
[2] The ‘Dutch reach’ is a technique which seeks to avoid car dooring. Instead of using the hand nearest the door to open it, reach across with your opposite hand. This forces you to turn your head so you can check for bikes before you open the door.
[3] Reported casualty rates by road user type and severity: Great Britain, RAS30013, Department for Transport 2018.
- Cyclists are 14 times more likely to be killed and 46 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured, whilst motorcyclists are 55 times more likely to be killed, and 81 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured.
[4] Reported road casualties by road user type and severity: Great Britain, RAS30001, Department for Transport, 2018.
[5] Reported casualty and accident rates by urban and rural roads, road class, road user type, severity and pedestrian involvement, Great Britain, latest available year, RAS30018, Department for Transport, 2018.
- Cyclists face the greatest risk of a fatal crash on rural A roads, at 6 times their average for all roads, and motorcyclists face the greatest risk of a fatal crash on rural B, C and unclassified roads, at just under 2 times their average for all roads.
[6] Vehicle involvement rates for reported accidents, by vehicle type, urban and rural roads, road class, accident severity and traffic, Great Britain, latest available year, RAS20005, Department for Transport, 2018 and 2012, 2011, 2010
[7] A survey of 1,107 drivers, conducted by SurveyGoo for Brake in October/November 2018. In response to the statement “I feel that cyclists and motorcyclists are most vulnerable on…?” 52% (576) stated urban roads, 37% (412) stated rural roads and 11% (119) stated motorways.
[8] Reported casualty and accident rates by urban and rural roads, road class, road user type, severity and pedestrian involvement, Great Britain, latest available year, RAS30018, Department for Transport, 2018.
[9] A survey of 3,116 motorcyclists, conducted Devitt Insurance Services Ltd in October 2018. 2,777 responded to the question “In which of the following situations do you feel vulnerable riding your motorcycle?”, with 60% (1,667) stating urban roads, 14% (391) stating rural roads, 14% (378) stating motorways and 12% (341) stating none of the above. See further details of the survey, including a video, here: www.devittinsurance.com/keeping-riders-safe/
[10] Regional data from: Reported casualties by severity, region, local authority and road user type, England, latest available year, RAS30043, Department for Transport 2018. National data from: Reported casualties by severity, road user type and country, United Kingdom, latest available year, RAS 30034, Department for Transport, 2018.
