Drivers face new laws to give cyclists wider berth
Overtaking space among road safety options under review
MOTORISTS and cyclists could soon face new laws, after the Department for Transport (DFT) announced a study on making cycling on the roads safer.
A possible area the Government may consider is setting a minimum distance for motorists to leave when they are overtaking cyclists.
The Highway Code says drivers should give cyclists “plenty” of space and “at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car”, but ministers have previously said they were interested in bringing in a mandatory minimum gap.
Back in 2016, then transport minister Robert Goodwill said, following the introduction of minimum passing distances in South Africa, that DFT bosses “remain interested in the change and are keeping it under review”.
Another possible new rule would tackle the danger caused by drivers opening car doors into the path of cyclists. Motorists in Holland are taught the ‘Dutch Reach’, which involves using the hand furthest away from the door to open it, essentially forcing them to look over their shoulder for passing cyclists.
Around 100 cyclists are killed every year on UK roads, and 3,000 are seriously injured. The danger posed by other road users is considered a barrier to getting more people on their bikes, which the Government wants to do as part of its ‘green revolution’.