Lawyer Speaks Out As 75% Of Cyclist Deaths And Serious Injuries Occur In Urban Areas

Specialist serious injury lawyers are calling for greater cycling safety awareness in Britain’s cities to help reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads.

The tragic news of a sixth cyclist death in London in just a two week period highlights the conflict on our roads between the growing number of people taking to two wheels and the heavy traffic of our capital city.

Now specialist serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell, who represent many cyclists who have suffered devastating life-changing injuries on the roads, say that with 75% of all serious cycling accidents occurring in urban areas, urgent action is needed by Mayor of London Boris Johnson to improve awareness of road safety in the city.

The latest incident takes the number of cyclist deaths in London to 14, the same as the whole of last year when a further 657 were also very seriously injured.  In total, over 100 cyclists were killed (118) and over 19,000 people were injured cycling in Britain last year (19,091).

Colin Ettinger, a Partner and specialist serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said:

Expert Opinion

The statistics across Britain show that around three quarters of fatal or serious cycling accidents occur in urban areas and around 75 per cent also happen near a road junction.

“It is a fact that more and more people are cycling both in London and in other cities across the UK, so it is an issue that is not going to go away. There are now over 500,000 cycling journeys taking place in London every day, almost double the figures from 10 years ago, and more needs to be done to protect them.

“Nine of the deaths this year have also involved HGVs, and in a battle between a cyclist and a lorry the person on two wheels is always more likely to come off worse. The consequences of a cyclist colliding with a motor vehicle can be devastating, and serious head or brain injuries are often life-changing.

“Many of our clients have needed years of rehabilitation treatment to help get their lives back on track, and still need specialist care to help them with every day activities we usually take for granted such as washing and dressing.

“Drivers need to show cyclists more respect on the roads and recognise that they are vulnerable road users. All drivers need to ensure they are on the lookout for cyclists and make sure they give them enough space. Road users should also make sure they follow the Highway Code in relation to give way signs and traffic lights.” Colin Ettinger - Consultant

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in Cycling Accident claims.