Both drivers and cyclists have a part to play in improving cycle safety.
Cycling has become increasingly popular throughout the UK in recent times, with more and more people looking at the activity as a cheap and healthy way to get around.
Stars such as Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish have helped to raise the profile of cycling thanks to their successes on the road – but while a rise in cyclist numbers is generally seen as a positive development, the trend is having implications for UK drivers, who are having to deal with a greater number of fellow road users.
It is therefore important that motorists are especially careful when sharing the road with cyclists. To help raise awareness of cycle safety, road safety minister Robert Goodwill has announced a trail first rolled out in London is being introduced in various cities across the UK.
The scheme will see striking images adorned on posters to warn both drivers and cyclists to look out for each other, focusing on dangers posed when vehicle owners open doors and when both parties navigate junctions and narrow roads.
These posters were used in London during the summer and will now be seen in the five cities that have the highest rates of accidents involving cyclists outside of the capital – Leeds, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham and Cambridge.
Mr Goodall said: "The UK has some of the safest roads in the world, but a number of cyclists are still killed or seriously injured every year and we are determined to tackle this.
"This campaign aims to make motorists aware of the need to look out for cyclists, ensuring they take extra care when turning at junctions, for example."
He added the initiative also aims to encourage cyclists to give more thought to the dangers they face – some of which they may not be aware of when on the road.
It will therefore take a joint effort between drivers and cyclists to make sure the roads are safer for all road users going forward – and the poster campaign could be the first step to achieving this.
By Bob Fletcher