Road Safety Tips

Whether you are a pedestrian, cyclist or driver, you should reduce your risk of suffering an accident on the roads by being aware of health and safety regulations. The roads and streets might be quieter at the moment but there are still the same dangers and risks as always with being out on the roads. The challenge of social distancing simply adds to the risks. Here’s some quick advice you can follow to help you stay safe in a COVID climate (and always).

Keeping Safe in a Vehicle

While pedestrians and cyclists must be aware of vehicles and each other, it is also your responsibility as a driver to be aware of them. The streets might be quieter but you should still keep an eye on pedestrians when at a crossing or when a light is going from amber to green just to ensure that you don’t drive if someone is crossing late. While they should not do this, there is always a possibility that someone could and so it is important to be aware of the people who are in front of you. 

You should also make sure that your vehicle is safe to drive, such as making sure that tyres are not overinflated or underinflated as this could impact upon your braking distance, steering distance and fuel consumption. If you decide that you need a break when driving, you should make sure to stay two meters apart from anyone who was not with you in your car.

You should also plan your route before driving, especially if you are a new driver who does not know the local area very well, so that you don’t encounter any unexpected challenges on your way – such as not knowing that a road is one-way. 

Keeping Safe as a Pedestrian

You could slip on an uneven pavement, a hole in the pavement or a crack in the pavement. Therefore, you should be aware of where you are placing your feet to minimise the risk of being injured. However, it is also important to alert the local authority, such as the council, when you encounter an issue with the pavement to ensure that it can be fixed. 

When crossing roads, you should be aware of vehicles and cyclists, as well as when traffic lights are red and green, to lower your risk of a collision. 

Due to the current pandemic, it is important to keep two meters away from everyone outside of your household. To do this you should be aware of people before they get close to you so that you can accommodate them on the pavement, and you should try and remain at a safe distance away from other people when at a crossing. 

Keeping Safe as a Cyclist

As a cyclist you should be aware of other vehicles on the roads and pedestrians. You should cycle away from the kerb so that you don’t accidentally fall over it or clip a pedestrian. You should also wear protective gear such as high visibility clothing and a light on your helmet. It is also important to plan your route before you go so that you know of any risks which might occur, such as there being a motorway on your route which you wouldn’t be allowed to go on as a cyclist unless there is a dedicated path alongside it. 

To adhere to social distancing guidelines, you should remain two meters away from other people waiting at the crossing when possible. By using cycle paths or specific routes which take you off main roads, you can stick to social distancing guidelines more safely as there will hopefully be fewer pedestrians and traffic on this route. 

Staying safe on and near roads is really important in the pursuit of avoiding an accident. Following these steps will help keep you safe, but unfortunately, due to the negligent actions of others accidents do still happen. If they do, we are here to help.

To learn more or to start your claim, get in touch with our expert team on 0800 808 9740 or contact us online. 

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