Latest news with #IAMRoadSmart
Auto Express
a day ago
- Auto Express
Cyclists blame drivers as UK roads get more dangerous
The number of cyclists submitting footage of poor and sometimes even dangerous driving has sky-rocketed over the past few years, effectively doubling since 2021 – with more than half of those caught now being prosecuted. A Freedom of Information request by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart found that the number of instances of riders submitting video clips to the police of dangerous drivers rose from 7,249 in 2021 to 15,779 in 2024. The figure comes from 20 different police forces across the UK (43 were approached), with the footage collected as part of Operation Snap – an initiative designed to help process evidence of dangerous driving submitted by the public. Advertisement - Article continues below All 20 of the forces that submitted data reported instances of perilously close passes of cyclists by cars – up from 2021, when just 14 forces said they'd received evidence of this. The most common location for this type of manoeuvre was Avon and Somerset, with 3,500 people reporting instances to the police. Such a figure is not surprising when you consider that of 655 people surveyed by IAM RoadSmart, more than half (58 per cent) didn't know that drivers must give cyclists a minimum of 1.5 metres of space when overtaking them. While the number of submissions is rising, it's worth pointing out that the police are beginning to take action, with roughly one in two (54 per cent) of those caught in the act on camera being served a Notice of Intended Prosecution. Driving too close to a cyclist is categorised under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 as 'Careless Driving' and can leave you liable to receiving six penalty points and a fixed fine of £100. Going to court could increase the fine and the number of points issued even further. Spokesperson for IAM RoadSmart, Harriet Hernando, described the current situation as 'extremely concerning', reminding drivers that 'passing too closely to a cyclist can be intimidating and dangerous, especially if they need to move out to avoid a pothole'. Hernando added: 'While it is heartening to see that prosecution rates have increased, it would be better if it didn't reach that stage and motorists weren't doing it in the first place.' Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express ? We'll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too .
BBC News
a day ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Hildenborough cyclist says she does not feel safe riding in Kent
A cyclist from Kent says she does not feel safe riding on the county's roads as a charity says a record number of people are reporting to police being overtaken too safety charity IAM RoadSmart says the numbers of cyclists who submitted video footage of poor driving to police also doubled from 7,249 in 2021 to 15,779 in 2024More than half of motorists admit they do not know how much space to leave when overtaking, the charity Alice Thomas, from Hildenborough, said: "I don't feel safe cycling in Kent, I lived in London for 10 years and I felt safer cycling there than I do here - drivers get so annoyed and overtake very closely." IAM RoadSmart says data shows the number of reports leading to the serving of a notice of intended prosecution rose from 38% in 2021 to 54% in a third of people say they do not cycle because they think it is too dangerous, the charity to the Department for Transport, 87 pedal cyclists were killed in Great Britain in 2023, while 3,942 were reported to be seriously injured and 10,970 slightly injured. Ms Thomas told BBC Radio Kent: "I always see arguments between cyclists and drivers online, comment sections, radio phone-ins, but other countries aren't like that, they all work together, it feels like a real conflict here." 'Cyclists are human beings' The Highway Code, which was updated in 2022, recommends that drivers gave cyclists at least 1.5m (5ft) of space - about the width of a compact car - when overtaking at speeds of up to 30mph (48kmh).Ms Thomas says: "There's a big narrative between cyclists and drivers hating each other, which is crazy because the majority of cyclists are drivers as well."So it's not one or the other, cyclists are human beings. "I'm a mother of two young boys and I always just think, I want to be able to go home safely to my sons."
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Should heavier cars be taxed more to cover the cost of fixing potholes they create?
Half of drivers have backed calls for heavier motors - particularly lorries - to pay more road tax that can then be ring-fenced for repairs of pothole they are responsible for causing. Some 48 per cent of drivers think weightier cars should pay more Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) to reflect the greater impact they have on road conditions, according to a study by Kwik Fit. While there are calls for vans and big cars to incur a pothole levy to pay for the much needed improvements to Britain's crater-filled roads, the majority of drivers think operators of HGVs should make the biggest contribution to repairs. Almost three in five of the 2,000 drivers surveyed said that HGVs should pay an additional levy to be set aside for road maintenance budgets, while 44 per cent believe delivery vans should pay an additional tax for the same purpose. This comes after This is Money reported the true cost of Britain's pothole crisis for drivers has risen to £320 - this is the average associated repair bill motorists face, according to figures from road safety charity IAM RoadSmart. Britain's roads are so littered with craters - over one million - that the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) has revealed it will take an estimated £16.78bn to tackle the backlog of repairs, leading the Government to announce new measures to tackle them. While the majority of drivers are all for heavier cars and vehicles paying more to use the roads in order to compensate for the added toll on tarmac, not everyone is in favour. A small number, 17 per cent, disagree that HGV operators should pay an additional levy, while 23 per cent are against vans facing additional charges. One in five (21 per cent) are opposed to heavier cars paying more road tax. And when drivers were asked if they would be happy to cough up more money to improve road surfaces around the UK, the research clearly shows that motorists already feel they are personally paying enough to support our road maintenance budgets. In contrast to a levy on HGVs or vans, only a quarter of drivers would be prepared to pay more 'road tax' to be ring-fenced for road repairs in their local area. Dan Joyce, operations director at Kwik Fit, said: 'Our new research highlights that there are no easy answers as to how this [road maintenance] is funded. Motorists already feel that they are contributing enough so it is understandable that they want the additional burden to be on the heavier vehicles believed to do the most damage to road surfaces. 'Of course, any costs placed on businesses through levies on HGVs or delivery vans are likely to be passed through to the end consumer, so it's critical that potential measures are not looked at in isolation.' Kia's £65,000 EV9, which has a kerb weight of 2,664kg and a maximum load weight 3,240kg Heavier cars are increasing damage to UK roads The AIA in 2024 found that Britain's growing road repair crisis has been fuelled by 'increased average vehicle weights on a deteriorating network'. New cars have been growing at an annual average of 10kg heavier and half a centimetre wider in recent years, also driven by growing demand for SUVs, reports have found. The increase in heavier vehicles and cars was said to be helping push Britain's crumbling roads to 'breaking point'. Just last week the Government announced that millions of drivers will have an updated category B driving licence - by far the most common type held by tens of millions of motorists in the UK - to allow these licence holders to get behind the wheel of heavier vehicles. Drivers can now pilot vehicles with a heavier maximum authorised mass (MAM) of up to 4,250kg, having previously been limited to 3,500kg. However, the new rules apply to electric vehicles only because electric SUVs - which are laden with weighty battery packs to deliver long ranges on a full charge - are now teetering dangerously close to the previous MAM restriction. How much are drivers having to shell out to fix pothole damage to vehicles? This year's ALARM Report from the AIA revealed that the estimated £16.8billion road repair backlog bill has increased by 42 per cent since 2016. Kwik Fit Pothole Impact Tracker published earlier this year highlighted how the cost to drivers has increased during the same period: Motorists are facing higher costs of 150 per cent to repair pothole-caused damage. Last year, the country's drivers paid a total of £1.7billion to repair vehicle damage caused by potholes. And while the IAM RoadSmart data last week put the average repair bill at £320, other drivers are having to stump up three times that to repair or replace damaged wheels, shattered suspension components and broken steering parts. Some five per cent say they paid more than £1,000 getting their motors fixed after driving through a pothole during the 12-month period. The road safety charity said potholes are not just a 'danger to motorists and cyclists alike' but they have become a 'substantial financial burden' on drivers. Our five-step guide to making pothole compensation claims 1. Collect the evidence If you're a motorist looking to make a claim for a repair bill for pothole-related damage, or a cyclist putting in a damage or personal injury claim after hitting one in the road, the first port of call is to make a note of where the pothole is located, the time and date of the incident, and take a photo of the pothole. A pothole needs to be at least 2 inches deep to be deemed a pothole in the eyes of councils. And it's not just the depth and size of the pothole that councils will try to use to refuse paying out compensation. Local authorities may defend a claim if they successfully argue that the pothole was not an obvious hazard - or if they were unaware of it, despite having in place a reasonable system of inspection and repair. To improve your chances of a successful claim, it will help to demonstrate whether the pothole was an obvious danger or not. Where possible, take photos at the scene, just in case the council repairs the pothole before you can return to take them. If you didn't do this at the time of the incident, you can return to the scene to take pictures. You should also take a photos of the damage the pothole has caused to your vehicle (or person, if you have been injured). If possible, take your car to a garage and ask for a mechanic's report in writing for the projected cost to fix the issue caused – or if your motor isn't drivable, phone a reputable repair centre and request a quote. 2. Work out who is to blame To make a claim for compensation, first you need to know who should pay out. If the pothole is on a motorway or main trunk road, the chances are it is a National Highways (formerly Highways England) problem. For local roads, you will need to research which council is responsible. Once you've identified the party you need to contact, request a copy of highway maintenance schedules and number of reported incidents on the particular road for the previous 14 days as evidence that the road hasn't been properly maintained or a reported pothole hasn't been addressed. 3. Make the claim You'll need to issue a formal claim to the local authority or National Highways and most responsible parties will have a template you can request from them. 4. What to do if you do - or don't - get a compensation offer After making the claim, you should be notified if compensation is being granted. Though you can still reject the value of the offer if you believe it isn't sufficient, especially if you have evidence that the pothole had already been reported but the responsible party had not acted to rectify it. If the council refuses compensation, you can seek legal advice or make a case through the courts. However, a word of warning that this could be a time-consuming process and is likely to be worthwhile only if the repair bill is considerable. 5. Final option: Make a claim through your insurance If you have comprehensive cover, you can claim for pothole damage on your insurance policy. However, it's worth considering the cost of the damage as well as your excess payments and if this action will affect your No Claims Bonus.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Telegraph
Cyclists send record number of Jeremy-Vine style videos to police
Cyclists are sending a record number of Jeremy Vine-style videos to police, new figures show. More than 15,000 clips of cyclists being overtaken too closely by motorists were submitted to forces in England and Wales last year, according to information obtained by a road safety charity, more than double the 7,249 in 2021. The increase comes amid a growing wave of so-called vigilante cyclists who use helmet cameras to film bad drivers and report them to police. The most high-profile has been Vine, the BBC and Channel 5 presenter, who regularly posted footage of his daily commute taken from his 360-degree helmet camera. He has reported drivers to police for passing too close to him, as well as for using their phones behind the wheel. While he announced in April he would stop posting the videos, blaming the online trolling he received, it appears he has influenced other cyclists to take road safety into their own hands. The charity IAM RoadSmart sent a freedom of information request to 43 police forces asking how many pieces of footage showing a close pass of a cyclist by a motorist were submitted as part of Operation Snap, an initiative introduced in 2017. Twenty forces provided data. The responses showed that the percentage of reports leading to a notice of intended prosecution being served rose from 38 per cent in 2021 to 54 per cent last year. A separate survey of 655 drivers who are members of IAM RoadSmart indicated that 58 per cent were not aware that the Highway Code recommends the minimum gap they should leave when passing cyclists is 1.5 metres (4.9ft). Harriet Hernando, the charity's active travel spokeswoman, said: 'It is extremely concerning that more than half of motorists don't know how much space to give a cyclist when overtaking. Passing too closely to a cyclist can be intimidating and dangerous, especially if they need to move out to avoid a pothole. 'It is small wonder then that record numbers of cyclists are installing cameras and submitting footage of dangerous or careless drivers to the police. While it is heartening to see that prosecution rates have increased, it would be better if it didn't reach that stage and motorists weren't doing it in the first place.' Provisional Department for Transport figures showed that 85 cyclists were killed on Britain's roads last year. Between 2019 and 2023, most cyclist fatalities occurred in collisions involving a car. IAM RoadSmart has launched a No More Close Calls campaign aimed at eradicating close passes and has called on the Government to better promote the new Highway Code. A Department for Transport spokesman said: 'We take road safety extremely seriously, and there are already strict penalties in place for those who put the safety of cyclists at risk. Our roads are among the safest in the world, but we are always looking to improve.'
South Wales Guardian
3 days ago
- Automotive
- South Wales Guardian
Cyclists send record amount of video to police showing close passes by drivers
Some 15,779 clips of incidents were submitted to forces in England and Wales last year, information obtained by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart found. That is more than double the total of 7,249 in 2021. Many cyclists capture footage of their journeys, with basic cameras available for under £50. IAM RoadSmart sent a Freedom of Information request to 43 police forces asking how many pieces of footage showing a close pass of a cyclist by a motorist were submitted as part of Operation Snap, an initiative introduced in 2017. Twenty forces provided data. The responses show the percentage of reports leading to a notice of intended prosecution being served rose from 38% in 2021 to 54% last year. A separate survey of 655 drivers who are members of IAM RoadSmart indicated that 58% are not aware the Highway Code recommends the minimum gap they should leave when passing cyclists is 1.5 metres (4.9ft). Harriet Hernando, the charity's active travel spokeswoman, said: 'It is extremely concerning that more than half of motorists don't know how much space to give a cyclist when overtaking. 'Passing too closely to a cyclist can be intimidating and dangerous, especially if they need to move out to avoid a pothole. 'It is small wonder then that record numbers of cyclists are installing cameras and submitting footage of dangerous or careless drivers to the police. 'While it is heartening to see that prosecution rates have increased, it would be better if it didn't reach that stage and motorists weren't doing it in the first place.' Provisional Department for Transport figures show 85 cyclists were killed on Britain's roads in 2024. Between 2019 and 2023, most cyclist fatalities occurred in collisions involving a car. IAM RoadSmart has launched a No More Close Calls campaign aimed at eradicating close passes. Ms Hernando said: 'When overtaking a cyclist, always look beyond them to judge your ability to get past safely, leaving at least 1.5 metres of space when overtaking at speeds of up to 30mph and give them more space when overtaking at higher speeds. 'By hanging back two or three car lengths, you'll be able to see further up the road and look out for oncoming traffic. 'If it isn't safe to overtake then don't try and squeeze past – shaving seconds off your journey isn't worth taking someone's life.' Duncan Dollimore, head of campaigns at Cycling UK, said it has 'not seen the big safety impact we'd hoped for' from changes to the Highway Code in 2022 providing more protection to cyclists. He went on: 'The majority of people who drive simply aren't aware how much distance to give to people who cycle when overtaking. 'This is why it's crucial to educate all road users of their responsibility to protect those most vulnerable.' He called on the Government to 'address this oversight by better promoting the new Highway Code'. A Department for Transport spokesperson said: 'We take road safety extremely seriously, and there are already strict penalties in place for those who put the safety of cyclists at risk. 'Our roads are among the safest in the world, but we are always looking to improve.'
