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.
Written by Ad Rank One at 13/05/2017