10 Road safety tips
10 ROAD SAFETY TIPS
Road positioning
Don’t ride in the gutter!
Ride positively,decisively and well clear of the kerb where you can see and be seen.
Ride in Primary position (middle of the lane) when passing side roads and going through pinch points.
Be aware of other road users
Leave enough distance between you and the vehicle in front of you so that you can stop safely if it suddenly brakes.
Look out for pedestrians.
Always be aware of other road users and try to anticipate what they might do.
This includes vehicles on the opposite side of the road which may cut across your path, vehicles may need to move into your lane to avoid hazards and parked cars and vehicles waiting to pull out from side roads.
Be seen
Always use lights when it’s dark or visibility is poor.
The highway code advises wearing light coloured or reflective clothing during the day and/or accessories in the dark to increase your visibility.
High viz and reflectivity on the feet works really well as it’s a moving part.
Follow the high way code
Always follow the highway code.
You can find the Highway Code for Cyclists here
Observe ‘STOP’ and “GIVE WAY’ signs and traffic lights.
Make eye contact
Make eye contact where possible so you know drivers have seen you. If the other road user is not looking at you they may not have seen you.
Avoid riding up the inside of large vehicles
Large vehicles like buses and lorries which have a huge blind spot and may not see you.
If a lorry or bus is indicating left, passing on the inside can be dangerous.
Hang back at the junction to reduce the risk of a collision.
Signal clearly
Look and signal clearly to show drivers what you plan to do.
If you can only avoid an obstruction by moving out into the flow of traffic, check over your right shoulder first to ensure that you have room to move out. If a vehicle is travelling too close to you to allow this, slow down until you have a safe gap.
Be careful of vehicle doors
When approaching parked vehicles, look over your right shoulder looking for other vehicles and when safe to do so move out into a position where you can pass the vehicle safely.
If possible leave a car doors width between you and the vehicle in case the door opens.
Make sure your bike is road worthy
Keep your bike in a road worthy condition making sure you regularly check brakes for wear and tear.
keep your lights clean of mud and dirt especially during the winter months.
Tyres should be in good condition and kept inflated to the correct pressure.
Keep your chain properly adjusted and oiled
Think about cycle training
Signing up for some cycle training is a great way to feel more confident and develop your riding skills especially if you’re new to cycling or haven’t ridden for a while.
You can find out about local courses by phoning the National Cycle Training Helpline on
0844 7368460
There are a great series of video’s available on the British cycling website on learning to commute with confidence here
More video’s available here for every day riding through to participating in sportive events with their Ridesmart videos
- Road positioning - don’t ride in the gutter
- Be aware of other road users
- Be seen
- Always follow the Highway Code
- Try and make eye contact with other road users
- Avoid riding up the inside of large vehicles
- Signal clearly
- Be careful of vehicle doors
- Make sure your bike is road worthy
- Think about cycle training
Road positioning
Don’t ride in the gutter!
Ride positively,decisively and well clear of the kerb where you can see and be seen.
Ride in Primary position (middle of the lane) when passing side roads and going through pinch points.
Be aware of other road users
Leave enough distance between you and the vehicle in front of you so that you can stop safely if it suddenly brakes.
Look out for pedestrians.
Always be aware of other road users and try to anticipate what they might do.
This includes vehicles on the opposite side of the road which may cut across your path, vehicles may need to move into your lane to avoid hazards and parked cars and vehicles waiting to pull out from side roads.
Be seen
Always use lights when it’s dark or visibility is poor.
The highway code advises wearing light coloured or reflective clothing during the day and/or accessories in the dark to increase your visibility.
High viz and reflectivity on the feet works really well as it’s a moving part.
Follow the high way code
Always follow the highway code.
You can find the Highway Code for Cyclists here
Observe ‘STOP’ and “GIVE WAY’ signs and traffic lights.
Make eye contact
Make eye contact where possible so you know drivers have seen you. If the other road user is not looking at you they may not have seen you.
Avoid riding up the inside of large vehicles
Large vehicles like buses and lorries which have a huge blind spot and may not see you.
If a lorry or bus is indicating left, passing on the inside can be dangerous.
Hang back at the junction to reduce the risk of a collision.
Signal clearly
Look and signal clearly to show drivers what you plan to do.
If you can only avoid an obstruction by moving out into the flow of traffic, check over your right shoulder first to ensure that you have room to move out. If a vehicle is travelling too close to you to allow this, slow down until you have a safe gap.
Be careful of vehicle doors
When approaching parked vehicles, look over your right shoulder looking for other vehicles and when safe to do so move out into a position where you can pass the vehicle safely.
If possible leave a car doors width between you and the vehicle in case the door opens.
Make sure your bike is road worthy
Keep your bike in a road worthy condition making sure you regularly check brakes for wear and tear.
keep your lights clean of mud and dirt especially during the winter months.
Tyres should be in good condition and kept inflated to the correct pressure.
Keep your chain properly adjusted and oiled
Think about cycle training
Signing up for some cycle training is a great way to feel more confident and develop your riding skills especially if you’re new to cycling or haven’t ridden for a while.
You can find out about local courses by phoning the National Cycle Training Helpline on
0844 7368460
There are a great series of video’s available on the British cycling website on learning to commute with confidence here
More video’s available here for every day riding through to participating in sportive events with their Ridesmart videos