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15/08/2014
With an ever increasing number of cyclists on the road, you need to make sure that you are keeping an eye out for the most vulnerable road users.
Cyclists have become an increasingly more common site on Britain’s roads, and whatever we think of them as drivers you can’t deny that they are a vulnerable section of the traffic.
Statisitcs show that in 2012 over 19,000 cyclists were involved in accidents on the roads with 3,000 of those being killed or seriously injured. (Stats taken from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.)
TomTom estimates that despite the fact that they only make up 5% of the traffic, lorry drivers are involved in a staggering 50% of cycling accidents. It’s a well known fact that lorries contain a number of blind spots that make it awkward or even nigh on impossible for drivers to spot vulnerable road users, like cyclists.
But it’s not just lorries that can cause accidents involving cyclists. Careless driving means that cars and small vans can also be involved with cycling accidents, which can result in death or severe injury.
The problem is that many fleet vehicle drivers are unaware of their company’s policy on managing road risks. TomTom found that 24% of van drivers had no idea of what their company’s exact requirements for managing road risk.
Whilst an accident between a cyclist and a vehicle can result in death or injury, it also means that your insurance premiums go up and your vehicles even drivers are taken off the road. All this could end up costing you a fortune, as well as leaving you responsible for the life of another human being.
So, what’s the answer?
TomTom have produced an infographic that provides you with some information on how best to care for cyclists on the road. You can download it here, print it off and display it somewhere so that your fleet drivers are fully aware of the risks posed by cyclists. But let’s go briefly through the two key points raised by the infographic.
By following the advice from TomTom you can help to make your drivers safer, and also reduce the financial risks to the company. And the best part is that you’ll be contributing to saving lives.
For more information about TomTom WEBFLEET and Telematics, call G-Force Communications on 01928 715 724.
Download the Caring for Cyclists infographic here.