Nearly two-thirds (65%) of motorists believe aggressive cyclists pose a threat to their safety, a new survey suggests.
The poll of 2,010 motorists in the UK, commissioned by road safety organization IAM RoadSmart, also indicated that 60% believe aggressive cyclists are a bigger problem than they were three years ago.
A similar proportion of respondents (61%) said they were not in favor of a law that assumes that motorists are always responsible for collisions with cyclists or pedestrians in urban areas.
All road users, whether on two or four wheels, must be calm
Transport Department (DfT) figures show that four car occupants have died between 2012 and 2021 in crashes involving a bicycle and a car on UK roads.
This is compared to 494 deaths among cyclists in such incidents in the same period.
IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research Neil Greig said: “The Government has introduced a series of laws in recent years to resolve the daily conflicts between motorists and cyclists.
“However, judging by our research, this has been largely ineffective, with the majority of respondents still reporting aggression and conflict between road users.
“There is no quick fix to this problem, but our research sheds light on the urgent need for the government to continue its information campaigns on the new highway code and to continue investing in safe road markings for more vulnerable road users to reduce the potential for conflict where possible. .
“In the meantime, all road users, whether on two or four wheels, should exercise calmness and restraint to help us all use Britain’s roads safely.”
New rules came into force in June 2022, meaning judges in Britain can hand down life sentences for dangerous drivers who kill and careless drivers who kill while under the influence of drink or drugs.
Two months later, the then transport secretary Grant Shapps promised to create a “death by dangerous cycling” law that would treat murdering cyclists the same as motorists.
Nearly four out of five (78%) respondents to the IAM RoadSmart survey said people who aggressively drive motor vehicles put their safety at risk.
In 2021, approximately 108 people were killed in crashes where aggressive driving was a contributing factor, equivalent to 8% of all road fatalities.
Duncan Dollimore, campaign manager at the Cycling charity, said: “There is no excuse for aggressive behavior – people can behave badly whatever mode of transport they use.
“However, the consequences are disproportionate, with statistics showing that bad driving is much more likely to lead to a fatal accident or serious injury.
“The highway code was changed last year to emphasize the added responsibility of drivers of larger vehicles as they are more likely to cause damage in a collision.
“Cycling UK has repeatedly called for a long-term, well-funded government awareness campaign to ensure that the changes are better communicated and understood, which in turn will make our roads safer for everyone.
The changes to the Highway Code include creating a hierarchy of road users based on vulnerability.
It means that someone who drives has more responsibility to watch out for people who are cycling, walking or riding.
Another change was that motorists were told to keep at least 5 feet away when overtaking cyclists at speeds up to 30 mph, and to leave more space at higher speeds.
– The research for IAM RoadSmart was conducted by research agency Cint in December 2022.