Cycling has always been a popular sport in England, but since the 2012 Olympics, a cycling frenzy has taken over much of the UK. Now, in 2014, there are still cyclists tracing over the old Olympic route, and every Saturday it seems you cannot wish to go outside and drive from A to B without passing several cyclists pedalling along the roadside in latex.

However, despite the impact cycling has been having on the nation’s health and fitness (the streets wouldn’t be crawling with cyclists four years ago) there is another pressing matter which affects drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike.

In 2004 to 2007 the number of road accidents rose by 11% and in 2007 16,000 cyclists were injured on the roads. Of course it’s a shady subject, in many cases both the cyclist and driver will deny blame, if the cyclist is at fault for an accident, they will be charged with a £2,200 fine. Yet if the driver is at fault for a serious accident on the road they will be sure to receive jail time. Yet is this fair when drivers and cyclists are both hazards on the road in their own right?

True, studies have shown that 60%-75% of road accidents are caused by dangerous driving rather than cycling. But what about the 17%-25% of accidents that are caused by cycling? Do these include the accidents that are caused by a lack of lights and reflective clothing?

A survey showed us that in 2009 the amount of cycling related road accidents rose by 20% and that 2.5% of these accidents were caused by the cyclist not wearing visible clothing, while 2% were caused by the cyclist not using lights. A further study showed that, despite the common opinion, only 20% of cycling injuries occur at night.

So what does cause these accidents?

Drivers not checking their blind spots, or cyclists straying from the cycling lane?

“In my experience cyclists are only dangerous when people are in a rush and are all trying to overtake,” one driver said. “It’s difficult when they think that they can make turnings without signalling, or can weave through traffic as if they are invincible.”

Although many laws have been made to protect all road users, cyclists and drivers alike, it seems that we all need to remember to navigate carefully and ensure we remember we are not the only ones in a hurry to get to our destination.

Beth Lindsay

Sir William Perkins's School