Road safety

What are the priorities for safer cycling?

Dedicated cycling infrastructure 

Building dedicated cycling networks separated from vehicle traffic and pedestrians, is the top priority for creating a safer environment for cycling. 

Reducing the risk from large vehicles

Specific actions to improve the safety standards of lorries and vans and their operations are essential, to prevent the high proportion of serious collisions with people cycling and walking.

Preventing dangerous driving behaviour  

Greater enforcement activity, both by cameras and police, has a proven impact on improving driver behaviour. Evidence shows that the majority of serious crashes, between a vehicle and an adult cycling, are caused by the actions of the driver. 

As has worked well in Wales and England, Scotland needs an online third party reporting system so dashcam and other footage can be used to take action against dangerous driving. Read more about what collision data and other evidence demonstrates.

Increasing the use of driving bans for those convicted of serious dangerous or careless driving is also essential. 

Supporting long-term road safety awareness and education 

Improving road safety starts in primary school where Bikeability Scotland Level 2, on-road cycle training teaches young people essential road safety awareness.  

Educating people about using the roads

The Highway Code’s Hierarchy of Road Users Rule H1, introduced in 2022, outlines how ‘those in charge of vehicles that can cause the greatest harm in the event of a collision bear the greatest responsibility to take care and reduce the danger they pose to others'.

Our research shows that 3 in 4 drivers say they know the Highway Code well but only half are aware of changes introduced in 2022, including giving at least 1.5 metres when passing someone on a bike.

Reducing overall traffic levels 

To make cycling (and walking and wheeling) safer, we need less vehicles on residential and shopping streets, where people walk and cycle most.  

We work with many road safety stakeholders including Police Scotland, Transport Scotland, Road Safety Scotland, Local Authorities and vital charities such as Roadpeace.  

Since 2017, we’ve worked with the police on Operation Close Pass. Close passes are an everyday experience for people cycling across the UK, according to the Near Miss Project. We created this short video to show Operation Close Pass in action.

Our Give Cycle Space campaign reminds people why we need to follow the rules of the road and drive safely around people cycling, always giving at least 1.5 metres of space. A road signage trial, which we developed with two local authorities, demonstrated a significant reduction in dangerous overtaking following the installation of new road signs.