Auto advice
Our motoring editor answers your questions on the ‘hierarchy of road users’ and what that means
Q What is a hierarchy of road users?
A A hierarchy of road users has been introduced to the rules of the road in many countries, and prioritises the safety of the most vulnerable road users. At the top of the hierarchy are pedestrians, who lack protection and are extremely vulnerable to harm in a collision, followed by cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists. Below are car and van drivers, with bus and lorry drivers at the base.
Q What is the purpose?
A The purpose is to give greater protection to pedestrians and cyclists and to highlight that those who can do the most harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce risks to other road users. As you go down the hierarchy, the potential harm you and your vehicle can inflict increases, and therefore greater caution is necessary around those more vulnerable on the road. This does not remove the need for all road users to behave responsibly, but if you operate a vehicle capable of greater harm, you bear a greater duty to mitigate risks. This is pertinent for drivers of lorries, buses, vans, cars and motorcycles, who must be mindful of cyclists, pedestrians, and horse riders. Cyclists and horse riders also bear responsibility for minimising risks to pedestrians.
Q Why do cyclists and pedestrians need more protection?
A The Cyclists Serious Injury Report 2016 to 2021, released by the RSA, shows a rise in the number of cyclists sustaining serious injuries. The study utilised data sourced from the Irish Road Traffic Collision Database, compiled from collision records transferred from An Garda Síochána to the RSA, and revealed that between 2016 and 2021 a yearly average of 239 cyclists suffered serious injuries. For every cyclist fatality, there were, on average, 25 cyclists seriously injured. Multi-vehicle collisions, predominantly involving cars (76pc), accounted for four out of five serious injuries, while the remaining incidents were single-cyclist collisions. The primary factor in collisions leading to cyclist injuries was the failure to yield by the involved driver (38pc), while 77pc of those seriously injured while cycling were male.