Burnham-On-Sea motorists are being urged to think ‘bike smart’ by Somerset County Council’s road safety team during road safety week.
Between January and June 2018 there were 104 rider casualties on the county’s roads, and Road Safety Week, which runs from 19-25 November, aims to highlight safety.
This year’s theme is ‘Bike smart’ and it aims to raise awareness of the risks cyclists and motorcyclists face when on the road and just how vulnerable they can be.
In an effort to help reduce the number of casualties on the county’s roads the Council’s Road Safety Team have put together some simple tips to help ensure everyone stays safe.
Tips for drivers:
- Look out for riders, especially when turning, always check mirrors/blind spots before manoeuvring: don’t be another SMIDSY ‘sorry mate I didn’t see you!’
- Make eye contact with riders, if possible, so they know you’ve seen them.
- Signal before manoeuvring – give riders time to react.
- Give riders plenty of space when overtaking them, leave as much room as you would give a car. If there isn’t sufficient space to pass, hold back.
- Always check for riders when opening a car door.
- Remember riders will filter between vehicles, a perfectly legal manoeuvre, so check carefully if stuck in slow moving traffic.
- Think bike!
Tips for cyclists/motorcyclists:
- Check the bike is fit for the road before setting off.
- Ride positively, decisively, and signal intentions to other road users.
- Never assume that another road user has seen you, make eye contact with drivers if possible to help ensure they know you’re there.
- Position yourself in the best place to maximise your visibility to other road users.
- Wear the correct protective clothing and headgear to help keep you safe.
Council Leader, Cllr David Fothergill, said: “It doesn’t take much effort to help keep vulnerable road users safe. We all have a right to use the road and a responsibility to look out for one another and by following the road safety team’s simple advice and sharing the road space we can help to reduce the number of casualties on the county’s roads.
For more information on road safety week, which organised by Brake, the road safety charity, and to sign up for a free action pack visit www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk
