More than half of British drivers are not aware of Highway Code advice for safely passing cyclists. there’s no reason to believe American drivers know any better.
From road.cc
by Alex Bowden
More than half of British drivers are not aware of Highway Code advice for safely passing cyclists, according to a survey carried out for Cycling UK. Eight per cent said that drivers should only give cyclists space that is at least the width of their handlebars.
The ComRes survey of 2,039 British adults found that 52 per cent of motorists weren’t aware that the Highway Code recommendation is to give cyclists at least as much space as you would a car when overtaking.
Duncan Dollimore, Head of Campaigns at Cycling UK, said: “These figures show most close passes come from a position of ignorance rather than malicious intent.”
The data was released as the Department for Transport (Dft) announces that driving instructors are to be offered bespoke training on cycle safety.
Speaking at the Cycle City Active City conference in Manchester today, Transport Minister Jesse Norman will say: “The benefits of cycling and walking are enormous. We shouldn’t only concentrate on catching and punishing drivers when they make a mistake but try to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to drive safely alongside cyclists in all conditions.”
Dollimore said: “Cycling UK has long argued that the driver training and testing processes should ensure that drivers are made aware of and understand both cyclists’ needs and their safety. Training the trainers, and embedding cyclists’ safety in the mindset of driving instructors, is a fantastic first step towards achieving this.
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