Safety Advice Issued For Cyclists & Motorists This Spring/Summer

Police in Wales have issued a safety reminder to both drivers and cyclists now that the weather is getting better, in a bid to ensure that everyone knows what their responsibilities are when out and about on the roads.

Cyclists have been advised by Dyfed-Powys Police to wear a helmet, remain visible, wear high visibility shirts or similar and put their lights on. They should also strive to obey all traffic laws and lights, anticipate the movements of drivers and pedestrians, look for gaps in the traffic when avoiding obstructions and consider road positioning of all road users.

For drivers, they’ve been advised to give cyclists enough space when overtaking (the same amount of room as you would for a car), check for bikers when opening your car door, check mirrors and blind spots before turning, and judge cyclists’ speed with care as they could be traveling faster than they appear to be.

Sue Storch, Road Safety Wales chair, said: “It is a joint responsibility for cyclists to be aware of their surroundings and also motorists to make sure they are vigilant, check all around them before pulling out or making any turns. It’s important to be aware that most accidents involving cyclists are caused by drivers making poor manoeuvres, particularly around T-junctions and traffic islands.”

This comes after the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors in Ireland made the call for it to be mandatory for cyclists in the country to wear hivis clothes when out on their bikes, a move they believe could potentially cut road deaths dramatically.