Add Side Lighting to Bikes to Eliminate Accidents
FRIDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 2008
Cycling safety campaigner and former World Champion cyclist, Tony Doyle, MBE, urges cyclists to add side lighting to their bikes. This follows a report this month by Transport for London stating that more than one London rider is involved in a serious cycling accident every day, with three out of four of these accidents taking place at road junctions, where cyclists cannot be seen from the side (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents).
Statistics also revealed that:
• 156 cyclists had been killed in London in the past 10 years
• More than 34,000 people were involved in bicycle accidents reported to the Met between 1996 and 2006
• The numbers involved in serious accidents fell from 566 in 1997 to 373 in 2006
• The number of slight accidents fell from 3,852 to 2,566 in 2006
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The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, has just announced a £500m investment in a new network of quick, simple, and safe routes for cyclists, which will provide 900km of safer routes through the capital. A new central London bike hire scheme will also be launched, with 6,000 bikes available every 300 metres.
Tony Doyle comments, "The TFL's investment in cycling is brilliant news for cyclists, however, we all need to be aware of the safety issues for cyclists. The increased popularity of cyclists in recent years has also seen a 30% rise in deaths of cyclists on the road since 2002 and with 75% of accidents happening at road junctions, side lighting should be seen to be as important as wearing a helmet in terms of keeping cyclists safe."
With more cars on the roads than ever before, 48% of cyclists feel unsafe on the roads, according to research of 450 cyclists conducted at the National Cycle show in October 2007 by Pedalite International Ltd. Sixty-eight percent of cyclists believe that motorists came too close to them and over half were worried that they would not be seen in the evenings by motorists (51%).
One in five people felt that there was a lack of cycle lanes to ensure their safety, despite the fact that many more cycle lanes have been created over the past few years in major UK cities.
Tony adds, "With an 83% rise in the number of cyclists on the roads in the past seven years in London alone according to Transport for London and an increase in the numbers of cars on the road, it is little wonder that many cyclists feel nervous cycling. The planned cycle routes will be fantastic for cyclists in terms of providing safer routes and giving them more confidence however, they still need to be as visible as possible to motorists and this means from all angles, including the side."
Tony's top tips for cycling safety are:
- Cyclists need to be as visible as possible on the road and should wear reflective clothing at all times.
- Never cycle without a helmet, even on the shortest of distances.
- Give your bike a regular bike service to ensure its safety on road.
- Pump up your tires and carry additional batteries for your front and rear lights.
- Add reliable side lighting such as battery-free 360 visibility Pedalites which provide always-on lighting to ensure they can be seen clearly by motorists.
For more information, please contact Kathryn@kayakpr.co.uk.
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