Pupils have joined road safety experts and the emergency services in urging drivers to take a second look for cyclists after the latest figures show casualties in the North East continue to be ‘stubbornly high’.
Children from West Park Academy in Darlington and Lord Blyton Primary School in South Shields have thrown their weight behind a new campaign by Road Safety GB North East and police and fire services.
During the past five years, 16 cyclists have been killed and 549 seriously injured on North East roads, with failure to look, by either the driver or cyclist, accounting for almost two-thirds of all collisions involving a pedal cycle.
As the weather improves – and more cyclists are likely to be out on their bikes – drivers are encouraged to watch out for bikes, and cyclists are advised to wear helmets and bright or reflective clothing.
Peter Slater, chairman of Road Safety GB North East, said: “During the spring and summer, we see cyclist casualties increase, but the majority of collisions are preventable.
“We are appealing to all road users. If everyone was more alert, slowed down and gave each other space, a lot of collisions would be avoided. Drivers should always take a second look for cyclists, and they should look over their shoulder before pulling out to overtake or join traffic, or before opening their car door.
“Cyclists are vulnerable, so we all need to do more to keep them safe.”
While cyclists account for only 1% of miles travelled on the road, they make up 11% of casualties in the region.
The latest figures show that almost a quarter of cyclist casualties were aged under 16 years, with 12 to 15-year-olds among one of the highest-risk groups on the roads.
Meanwhile, 90% of children injured or killed were not wearing helmets at the time.
The pupils of West Park Academy and Lord Blyton Primary School have taken part in Bikeability courses run by their local councils, learning about the importance of staying safe while cycling, and remembering to always wear a helmet.
Sam Hirst, headteacher of West Park Academy, said: “Being able to cycle safely is an invaluable life skill.
“Our children enjoy participating in cycling proficiency, whilst they learn the importance of road safety and practice the skills needed to cycle safely on the road.”
The figures also show that the most common location for cyclists to become involved in a collision is close to a junction, with 69% of cyclist casualties occurring within 20m of a junction.
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