The current creative shows someone cycling on the road from a driver’s viewpoint, together with images of their life and loved ones in the space next to them. The message is that we’re all people, travelling on the road and wanting to get home safely. Dangerous and careless driving around people on bikes is risking someone’s life and risking serious legal consequences.
RoadPeace, the national charity for road crash victims, strongly support the Give Cycle Space campaign. There is clearly still much to be done to make cycling safer and our members want to see an end to the completely unacceptable number of deaths and life changing injuries caused by dangerous and careless driving.
The campaign highlights the Highway Code rule about passing people on bikes: when overtaking people on bikes, drivers must leave at least 1.5 metres when driving at speeds of up to 30mph and give more space when overtaking at higher speeds.
Of course, a campaign on its own isn’t enough: we need urgent change including networks of dedicated cycle lanes and enforcement to reduce dangerous driving. Find out more on the priority actions for road safety.
We work in partnership with Police Scotland who run Operation Close Pass, an initiative to educate drivers, across Scotland.
You can access our stakeholder toolkit where you’ll find #GiveCycleSpace videos, graphics, and suggested content for social media, newsletters and internal communications.
When driving, follow the Highway Code and always give at least 1.5 metres of space when driving at speeds of up to 30 mph– this will usually mean crossing into the other lane.
And remember to
Research shows that in collisions between bikes and vehicles, the person driving the vehicle is more often at fault, and vulnerable road users are at greater risk of injury. Our first priority should be collision prevention, as the best way to reduce serious casualties.
According to the Near Miss Project a person cycling is likely to experience a “very scary” incident once every week, and being passed too closely by a vehicle is an everyday experience for people cycling.
For someone who regularly cycles, every year they can experience an event that is “so frightening that it alone makes them consider giving up cycling.”
As a person who cycles and drives, I think about both when I make choices on the road. I believe Scotland’s roads would be a lot safer if all drivers had this perspective - especially if they knew how frightening it was when a car passes too closely.
Close passes have made me extra vigilant – more than I should be, as I feel like I need to be the eyes for the driver, as well as for me, to make sure I’m visible and stay safe.
It’s hard to single out one time when I have been really shaken by a near miss, as I reckon I am closely overtaken by a vehicle at least once a day. It never gets easier, sadly.
Gold at the 2024 Marketing Star Awards
Gold in the Transport and Leisure Travel category at the BIMA (British Interactive Media Association) awards
