Cyclists urged to make themselves visible

CYCLISTS have been warned to take precautions to make themselves easier to see, in time for the darker evenings of winter time.

The clocks are set to wind back by an hour this Sunday, bringing darkness down on homeward commutes and making collisions involving cyclists statistically more likely.

A survey of 1,000 cyclists, carried out by Autoglass, found that 48% had been caught without lights or high-visibility clothing when the clocks go back. However, among those who identified themselves as commuter cyclists, this figure rose to 63%, highlighting the increased risk.

Only 42% regularly use a headlight, while just 39% regularly wear high-vis clothing. Almost a third of riders, at 31%, believe that a legal requirement to wear reflective clothing would help to improve safety, while 21% say better street lighting is most important.

Worryingly, 50% of cyclists in the 18-24 age range reported having had an accident or a near miss while on their bikes.

Matthew Mycock, Managing Director at Autoglass said: “Cyclists are the only group of road users at increased risk of injury and death on the roads over recent years and ‘stealth-cycling’ shouldn’t be an option.

“It’s crucial that cyclists do all they can to protect themselves and standing out with high visibility clothing can help to save lives.

“Remembering to use simple items such as bike lights, high-visibility jackets, brightly coloured clothes, glow-in-the-dark stickers and reflectors will ensure better safety in the months ahead.”

Nick, a 25-year-old cyclist from East London, said: “I think motorists definitely need to be more aware of cyclists but this works both ways. Lots of people consider cyclists to be a nuisance and a cause of traffic.

“I’ve always cycled using lights but I tend to avoid high-vis, mostly because I think the clothing can make you appear nervous on the roads.”

By Press Association reporter