Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

40 per cent of collisions involving Irish cyclists caused by ‘failure to observe’ on part of driver

The driver manoeuvre most associated with cyclist injuries was “driving forward”

In over two-fifths of cases where an Irish cyclist was injured in a collision with a car, it was reported that the driver had failed to observe. The finding comes from recent research conducted by The Road Safety Authority (RSA) as it calls for more investment in cycling infrastructure.

The RSA analysis looked at the leading causes of cyclist injuries in Ireland from 2006-2018. The report also features an in-depth review of cyclist injuries in 2016.

In 41.4 per cent (268) of cases where a cyclist was injured in a collision with a car, it was reported that the car driver had failed to observe.

Similarly, in 40 per cent (34) of cyclist injuries in collisions with goods vehicles, it was reported that the goods vehicle driver had failed to observe.

The manoeuvre of cars and goods vehicles most associated with cyclist injuries in 2016 was “driving forward” – approximately two in five occasions for each.

Ireland abandons plan for close pass law and sets to work on ‘dangerous overtaking of cyclists’ offence instead

For cars, the next most common manoeuvre associated with cyclist injuries was turning right (20.5 per cent), while for goods vehicles, the opposite was true, and left turns were more associated with cyclist injuries (20 per cent).

In 19.8 per cent (128) of cases where a cyclist was injured in a collision with a car, it was reported that the cyclist had failed to observe. In 3.9 per cent (25) of cases, it was reported that the cyclist had failed to stop or yield.

In 63.4 per cent of cases no contributory actions by the cyclist(s) involved were identified.

Just under 87 per cent of cyclist injuries occurred as a result of collisions on urban roads (less than or equal to 60 km/h) – typically on two-way single carriageways.

Over half of cyclist injuries occurred at junctions and nearly a quarter resulted from collisions at T-junctions.

Speaking on publication of the report, Moyagh Murdock, the CEO of the Road Safety Authority said: “We need to remove the potential for conflict by providing more dedicated and better cycling infrastructure.”

She continued: “Ireland is lagging behind many of our European counterparts in introducing dedicated cycle tracks.

“We need separate infrastructure for vehicles and bicycles that remove danger points from our roads and reduce conflict between road users.

“The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) earlier this month called on EU member states to prioritise the provision of separate cycling infrastructure to protect cyclists.

“The same ETSC report also highlights that speed is another critical factor for reducing collisions with cyclists and calls for the greater roll out of 30km/h speed limits in towns and cities. The clear message is motorists need to slow down, particularly in urban areas and during peak travel times.

“Not only will cyclists, and other vulnerable road users, have greater chances of survival if involved in a collision, slowing down will give drivers time and space to react, especially if they are distracted, and avoid a collision in the first place.”

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

Add new comment

13 comments

Avatar
mdavidford | 4 years ago
2 likes

41.4 per cent - the car driver had failed to observe.

19.8 per cent - the cyclist had failed to observe.

In 3.9 per cent - the cyclist had failed to stop or yield.

So in at least a third of cases the driver observed the cyclist and decided to drive into them anyway?

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
1 like

Link to the report: https://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Fatal%20Collision%20Stats/Analysis_of_road_user_groups/Cyclist%20Injury%20Trends%202006-%202016%20with%20in-depth%20review%20of%202016.pdf

I'm puzzled by the large percentages of unidentified causes: 43.7% of car collisions and 51.8% of goods vehicles collisions no contributory actions by the car driver(s) involved were identified. Does this mean that the cycists were at fault?

 

Avatar
brooksby replied to hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
0 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

Does this mean that the cycists were at fault?

I blame physics  

Avatar
antigee | 4 years ago
1 like

“We need to remove the potential for conflict by providing more dedicated and better cycling infrastructure.”

here's hoping that means infrastructure that doesn't just dump you back out into the motorised traffic at the most dangerous place: intersections...still useful data...I've quoted this one before as particularly like these lines from the exective summary:

"A total of 91 potentially unsafe cyclist-interactions were identified. In the majority of events (93.4%), the behaviour of the driver led to the event........In the majority of all events, a crash was avoided due to the evasive actions taken by cyclists."

from a study looking at video recorded by experienced commuter cyclists in Canberra, Aus 

https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/217306/Naturalistic-C...

 

 

Avatar
grumpyoldcyclist | 4 years ago
2 likes

At least they are blaming the drivers and not trying to offload the blame onto the victim.

Of course the UK would have to have a different survey, to get the same answers, as they don't believe or align with the EU any longer

Avatar
Butty | 4 years ago
9 likes

“We need to remove the potential for conflict by providing more dedicated and better cycling infrastructure.”

How does that stop crap drivers being crap yet still remaining on the road? Be brave and dare to remove licences from idiots if they can't drive at the level of competence that allowed them to be granted a licence.

Avatar
Hirsute | 4 years ago
2 likes

Here you go Burt
https://tenor.com/view/car-pole-crash-where-did-that-come-from-gif-15796715

Reminds me of when my wife reversed into a lamppost that was 'too big to see'.

Avatar
eburtthebike replied to Hirsute | 4 years ago
2 likes

hirsute wrote:

Here you go Burt https://tenor.com/view/car-pole-crash-where-did-that-come-from-gif-15796715 Reminds me of when my wife reversed into a lamppost that was 'too big to see'.

Thanks.

Avatar
eburtthebike | 4 years ago
0 likes

This may not be Ireland, but it does demonstrate the observational abilities of a considerable proportion of drivers.  EDIT; gifs don't seem to work, but the driver gets in the car and drives into the post in front of him.

A large part of the problem is the huge A pillars, which make the car occupants safer but increases the risk for everyone outside of it.

 

Avatar
pockstone | 4 years ago
0 likes

Ah! That old 'Driving forwards' manoeuvre, always a tricky one .

So hard that I had to spend about 90% of my driving lessons getting to grips with it.

Avatar
ktache | 4 years ago
3 likes

Is "failing to observe" a technical term for not looking out of their huge glass windows?

Avatar
werics replied to ktache | 4 years ago
2 likes

I would imagine it also includes looked but failed to see, which is itself a polite term for shit processing of perfectly good visual data.

Avatar
zornitta replied to ktache | 4 years ago
0 likes

Latest Comments