The most dangerous manoeuvre for people riding bikes on British roads is turning right, a new study has found, with 10,070 collisions involving cyclists making a right turn reported between 2012 and 2021.
The analysis, conducted by Forbes Advisor, was based on data compiled from the Department for Transport’s 2021 report on road casualties in Great Britain during the previous decade, in order to determine which manoeuvres resulted in the most collisions for each type of vehicle.
After turning right, moving off resulted in the second greatest number of collisions for cyclists, with 4,911 recorded between 2012 and 2021, while going ahead on a right-hand bend came third, with 4,643 noted collisions out of a total of 179,737 during that ten-year spell.
Those familiar with road.cc’s Near Miss of the Day series will not be surprised to learn that, compared to other vehicle types, cyclists were disproportionately involved in collisions when going ahead while not on a bend, with people on bikes subject to collisions on a straight road over 55 percent more than the average road user.
When assessing other modes of transport, turning right also proved hazardous for car drivers, with 186,009 incidents recorded between 2012 and 2021. Car drivers slowing or stopping also accounted for 130,709 collisions, and being held up while waiting to go led to 112,755 crashes.
Meanwhile, overtaking a moving vehicle resulted in 14,323 collisions involving motorcyclists, while HGV drivers were involved in 3,714 collisions while slowing and stopping. HGV drivers also experienced collisions almost six times more than the average road user when changing lanes, accounting for 585.6 percent of the average when changing lanes to the left, and 533.4 percent when changing lanes to the right.
This most recent analysis comes less than two months after a similar survey of road safety figures in Scotland found that motorists are at fault in nearly three-quarters of all collisions between cyclists and drivers, while common tropes about ‘dangerous’ cyclists, such as riders “wearing dark clothing”, are responsible for comparatively few crashes.
The data, collated by Cycling Scotland, showed that 54 cyclists were killed and a further 1,836 seriously injured in road collisions throughout Scotland between 2015 and 2021.
Analysing the “contributory factors” assigned by Police Scotland to all collisions, Cycling Scotland found that over 70 percent of crashes involving motorists and cyclists were the fault of the driver.
For both drivers and cyclists, the most common cause of a collision is a failure to look (a factor seemingly ignored in Forbes Advisor’s analysis, perhaps because it does not constitute a ‘manoeuvre’ as such) – though of the 512 “failure to look” incidents, 374 were assigned to the motorist.
“Aggressive driving” and “vehicle door opened or closed negligently” were also in the top 10 reasons for collisions, Cycling Scotland found.
However, in the incidents where the cyclist was deemed to be at fault, “wearing dark clothing at night” was assigned to only 19 collisions between 2015 and 2021, the ninth most common cause of crashes where the cyclist was at fault.
58 thoughts on “Turning right “most dangerous manoeuvre” for cyclists, resulting in over 10,000 collisions in ten years, new study finds”
In my experience cycling in
In my experience cycling in London a majority of cyclists are unable to look behind them and often swerve if they try. And do so late or as they intend to turn. A lot of new riders or inexperienced ones think sticking out an arm is sufficient. I’ve almost had collisions when riding behind them. Its not all the riders fault of course but it’s a long way from the careful and defensive riding that many years of cycling makes core behaviour
Sarcasm switch ON
Sarcasm switch ON
If the UK stayed in the EU and fully adopted EU rules, including driving/cycling on the right hand side this problem would not exist!
Sarcasm switch OFF
It’s the same here in NL. Yes, we have envious infrastructure blah blah, but it’s not everywhere. Right outside my apartment the junction (cross roads with tram and bus traffic) I need to use to turn left on my way to work means I have to race out of the bike lane and take primary before someone in a car/van/truck decides to cut me off as they’re going straight on or right. In my experience, the worst to deal with are Luton style vans…don’t know why. Those things are fast off the line when they’re empty!
Then you have those folks who
Then you have those folks who lift their arm/hand out to indicate for barely a second before dropping it down and immediately manovering without ever looking behind them.
When i come across others, I always give them a wide berth till its safe to overtake (and fire up the rocket boosters…) unless ive had them in my sight for a while and judged that have some road awareness.
I remember when a lot of local councils used to run a small road safety course for new cyclists. I think it used to either be completely free or for a very small amount of money. If they stopped running those classes, they should really bring it back.
Global Nomad wrote:
Indeed. The advice to always look behind turns out in many cases to include “whilst wobbling about the road and not seeing the hazard that appears in front as you’re twisting your neck”.
The answer, as Sriracha notes, is mirrors. Do you look behind over your shoulder when driving? Modern mirrors tend to be a better bet, since they also allow you to look forward at the same time.
Here’s a recommendation, arrived at after trying every bluddy cycling mirror there is (only a slight bit of hyperbole there):
These seem to be immune to road vibrations, have a very clear glass that’s convex enough to give a wide field of view but don’t reduce near things to just dots, can be got in any position to work no matter the angle of your bars and are well made. There are 2″ and 3″ versions. I find the 2″ versions more than adequate, as long as I have me prescription (sun)specs on.
There are several less expensive versions to the Briskmores (costing £10 rather than £15-16 a pair) but these come with plastic rather than glass lenses. Plastic lenses scratch and discolour quickly, as two Sprintech sets I have (costing twice as much) will testify.
Cugel wrote:
Yes – yes I do. I was taught to drive before these fancy curved mirrors came in, so it was ingrained into me to watch my blind spots. A quick glance over my shoulder to check for cars right alongside me – just in case.
Of course, in a car looking over my shoulder doesn’t cause a wobble….
Thanks for the mirror link – I’ve been thinking about buying mirrors* for a while.
*wing/bar/side/rear view mirrors?
Of course many drivers find
Of course many drivers find it difficult to even look forwards let alone use there mirrors. And lets not talk about indicating when turning rather than before…if at all …
Bar mirrors
Bar mirrors
I also move my head a lot when driving and always check my passenger door mirror when turning left. Thick pillars and high beltlines on modem cars (dang you pedestrian safety regulations) mean this is essential.
HoldingOn wrote:
Mirrors like this seem popular with our friends across the pond
https://head-zup.com/
Americans on Paris Brest Paris were about 50/50 whether they used these. I expect it takes a little getting used to, but better than looking at a mirror down on the bars.
wycombewheeler wrote:
I’m intrigued by that, so I’ve gone and ordered one to try out. Seems expensive for what it is though.
Save your money! Just get
Save your money! Just get some spy glasses.
chrisonatrike wrote:
Dagnammit! It’s too late to cancel my order now.
Cugel wrote:
Here’s my recommendation, the Cateye BM-45 (£12.99): https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cateye-BM45-Bar-End-Mirror_84534.htm
Have you tried one of these? I find it easy to adjust whilst riding and stays where you put it (except when you bump it up against stuff). Once you get the position just right, you can just glance at it so you know what’s behind you and can plan your maneouvre. Obviously you’d still want to make a quick shoulder check before turning etc.
hawkinspeter wrote:
+1 for this mirror. Got one a year or so ago, and absolutely love it.
hawkinspeter wrote:
I haven’t tried that most modern version but I do have a pair of the similar older Cateye bar end mirrors. I find they have two real issues: they vibrate a lot; they won’t stay in position. The new ones might have improved things, I suppose.
I do have a 3″ diameter pair of the Briskmore mirrors on the touring bike and these do stay put but they also vibrate a bit more than the 2″ diameter versions. As they’re so clear (and larger) they still serve to give a clear and wide view behind. But the 2″ versions on the various faster-ridden bikes seem vibration free on even the worst scab-gravel roads that vibrate the old Cateye mirrors to the point of can-no-longer-see-stuff.
Cugel wrote:
They must have fixed that as the BM-45 stays in position and I haven’t noticed it vibrating at all.
hawkinspeter wrote:
— hawkinspeter
Same here.
For a flat bar hybrid bike, I
For a flat bar hybrid bike, I’ve found these Zefal ones to be the best. That includes riding along trails where there is a lot of vibration and they hold their position. Their larger size gives a great field of view and further helps when there are a lot of vibrations from poor road surfaces, meaning a very quick glance is sufficient.
Zefal Dooback 2 Bar End Mirror https://amzn.eu/d/8azHbI5
Zefal Dooback 2 Bar End
Zefal Dooback 2 Bar End Mirror
Thanks for the recommendation! I use drop bars almost always, but I looked further and came up with the easy-mount Zefal Spy which might work for me.
Zefal Spy
Anybody have experience of this?
wtjs wrote:
I have one of those on my flat bar cargo bike (Tern GSD). It’s pretty good, although difficult to position to avoid my arm – or my passenger – blocking my view. But definitely better than nothing.
But for drop bars, I’d definitely say go for the Cat Eye recommended by HP.
Bar end mirrors are too far.
Bar end mirrors are too far.
Edit: I have barend lights there anyway!
Good idea glasses mirror, may try this https://www.ebay.com/itm/402635817231?hash=item5dbef7010f:g:uakAAOSwstJZWeTG&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8PCgC9HtWe9PPfBOKZZgUr9jUUual5VUjH0Xzp8vpjP3Bvi88Fb6%2FJtqkVFthy%2F5fENSkF2ZObCoqwmzt630r%2BjA3BFmZcXHgw1eeL5cAgZYnqcsfcLwSD0hOYgahQ6YVbMnqOc%2FT6OhNCVhxTCducVQLEcuRgl0nnVnxE5FBEwe2XqN9QoqtN0kDfcnRtVzG3gEpwAOk8V69UsbtdZSVazhsYq9Yb3rNW3sSfjvOO1FRcW2hgRMwyQGhDZEpsTfsvq8Dh6EAVvTpgRpDnMWirynjxrGv2oMZKkgnJr7rcQ%2FeM0mLCIvA2isjW2c3mA%2Bow%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBMgNeV8s1i
wtjs wrote:
I’ve got a Zefal Dooback 2 Bar End Mirror on my gravel bike. Looks a little bit strange but I find it works well, I find the circular mirrors are too small to see very much.
I had a Zefal Spy and was
I had a Zefal Spy and was quite happy with it until it fell off. It’s cheap, the convexity is about right, you can swap it from bike to bike and it doesn’t vibrate too terribly.
But… it will mark your bar tape, can get in the way of your hand in the drops. and it fell off without notice. I knew where I had last looked at it so went back instantly, but it had vanished. I was on my commute so must have been smashed pretty quickly into microplastics. To be fair, I’d had it about a year and it had survived a couple of other drops.
I bought a pair of Sprintechs as a replacement – one for each bike. They look much nicer, and don’t vibrate much. but are a bit too convex. Both the Zefal and the Sprintech will not work for every hand position – I set them for riding on the hoods and tops, but if I’m in the drops, standing at traffic lights, or in my comedy “aero” blob position, the view isn’t much use.
If I ever need another mirror I’ll try something else or get another Zefal and add a zip tie.
I had a Zefal Spy
I had a Zefal Spy
Thanks for the info!
Even with modern mirrors on
Even with modern mirrors on cars I still shoulder check regardless. The advantage of a bar mirror is that I can pick my road position pretty early for turning or negotiating traffic calming measures.
A mirror definitely helps. I
A mirror definitely helps. I’m not saying rely on it exclusively, but it’s very handy for getting the manoeuvre set for a gap in the traffic, before finally checking over your shoulder.
I don’t use a mirror but a
I don’t use a mirror but a radar and its a similar process for me. I’m able to monitor the road behind whilst keeping my eyes forward to set my self up for a gap before a quick shoulder check before pulling into it.
I like to know if they are
I like to know if they are moving out to pass me, so a mirror check is good as well.
Bm45 as well. Which is fine and no vibration.
I had a mirror in flat bars
I had a mirror in flat bars but in drop bars no decent options. If attached in drop bars ends it is too far.
cyclisto wrote:
I found many drop-bar-end mirrors insufficiently adjustable to be able to either get them high enough in the bar ends so they don’t just give you a view of the road surface; or to get in a position where my arm didn’t block the view of them in one or more bar-grip arm positions. Spintech were the worst for this – good mirrors only if your bars are well tipped forward and you have skinny forearms. 🙂
Those Briskmores I mentioned are very mavouverable, both when the bar-end plug is tightened and in the ways you can insert that plug into the bars before you tighten them. They’re far more manouverable than any other bar-end mirrors I’ve tried.
They use a two-stage turn in
They use a two-stage turn in Copenhagen for bikes, though they’d be turning left. You go straight over the junction and wait at the other side, facing left and then move off when the lights go green. I can’t see that working over here though.
Also in Victoria down under..
Also in Victoria down under…quite common to turn right at traffic lights on 2lane each way roads where crossing traffic moving at 60km/hr isn’t easy and essential if turning right across tram tracks. Drivers seem pretty aware that it is absolutely legal and rarely get any hassle ( well no more than usually get)…from Vicroads advice for cyclists:
“Use a hook turn to turn right. Riders can do a hook turn (a right turn from the left side of the road) at any intersection unless a sign bans it. This is often a safer way to turn right.”
‘quite common to turn right
‘quite common to turn right at traffic lights on 2lane each way roads where crossing traffic moving at 60km/hr isn’t easy and essential if turning right across tram tracks’.. I couldn’t make any sense reading this; is English your first language?
Works if you don’t prioritise
Works if you don’t prioritise motorized traffic.
marmotte27 wrote:
That’s why it wouldn’t work over here.
Same here in Japan at any
Same here in Japan at any crossroads or traffic lights. Right turns at T/ side junctions too, when exiting or entering we’re supposed to stop on the left, check then cross / turn or vice versa. Bikes / mopeds are legally supposed to be within 1 meter of the left side of the road and no passing any vehicle in motion or queueing on the right. I’ve been pulled over for using a filter lane.
We’ve had them a bit, eg.
We’ve had them a bit, eg. Leith Walk / Mcdonald Road. They were combined with advanced release (early green) for cyclists FWIW.
They’ve been replaced now because of the cycle paths. Now, at bigger junctions like this, cyclists on the cycle paths get held back by their own lights to prevent left hooks I assume. Then (IIRC) have their own phase for any direction. (Not 100% sure of the last part. What I am certain of – by comparing the arrangements on Leith to other new cycle facilities getting built here – is you never want to give that job to a tram company).
The junction of Glasgow Road
The junction of Glasgow Road and Hawkhead Road in Paisley was up for consultation to make safer for pedestrians and cyclists due to Barshaw Park on the corner. It would have totally restructured the junction with priority to vulnerable road users with cyclists going ahead to turn right. Approach and exiting out of conflict. All these things we dream of. There has been a real kickback regarding it even with there being numerous collisions on it with one householders garden wall regularly used as target practice.
Just found “here’s how you’ll
Just found “here’s how you’ll eventually end up doing it (if you ever get that far)”:
How a standard left turn works in NL (left there is the equivalent of right in the UK). With smart light phases this can be very convenient.
A video (from 2010!) comparing the UK, Danish / German and Dutch junction designs. This explains how the Dutch examples are made safer that other designs even if a “two-stage turn” arrangement is used. This is because a) there’s a protected area off the motor vehicle carriageway where cyclists wait to cross and b) motor vehicles are held some distance back behind where the cyclists wait.
There are also other solutions offering safety AND convenience where cyclists need to cross traffic-light controlled junctions (e.g. simultaneous green / all ways green – or for large junctions no traffic lights at all!)
chrisonatrike wrote:
Looks to be pretty much the same as in Copenhagen.
hawkinspeter wrote:
Same-same but not quite equal; detail is important here. Difference boils down to “cycle paths like cycle lanes on the roadway” design (Denmark, UK) and a genuine “cycle paths as integral part of design” (NL) one.
In the Danish version I’m thinking of (and in Leith) the cycle path just gives up before the junction, to be replaced with paint. (Probably Copenhagen now has a mix of designs – not been yet – but the style I’m aware of from there is more like the UK version.)
In the Dutch design the cycle paths continue – completely separate from traffic – round the corners. That means that if you want to turn left, after you cross the carriageway you’re back off it again, in “protected space”. The “protection” is the “rounded corner bits” (technical term!) which just emerge naturally from the Dutch design.
Article comparing these here.
I’ve pinched David Hembrow’s diagram and one from BicycleDutch (Mr. Hembrow characteristically has a different idea about better traffic light designs.)
Because in the UK we’re at a
Because in the UK we’re at a “cyclists are a threat to pedestrians!” stage a possible complaint about the Dutch version is it doesn’t have a marked pedestrian crossing which cyclists cross and would be expected to give way to pedestrians at. Pedestrians just cross the cycle path informally. In the other design the cycle paths usually stop before the crossing, like motor traffic.
In UK places with this kind of design I think we’re usually just painting a mini-crossing on the cycle path to get round this, with tactiles and extra “fuss” not apparent in most Dutch designs.
The design with the red
The design with the red highlights… that’s on London Road in Glasgow outside the Velodrome.
The wait zones are pretty small – you have to have your front wheel right on the kerb edge to let other bikes pass behind.
Works OK… except … wait times are horrendous. 1.5 to 3 light rotations before the cycle lanes lights change to green – and then you only have enough time to cross one leg. You would be sat there for a good 6 – 10 mins if you had to cross, turn then cross again.
Oldfatgit wrote:
That’s a stroad! Another “it’s a street, ‘cos houses and shops. Oh, but actually it’s a distributor road. No, it’s an arterial (A1) as it’s carrying folks in and out of Edinburgh!”
I was sat there a couple of evenings back – didn’t notice anything like that? I wasn’t paying close attention to cycling “facilities” though – I did notice it was a long wait. Jock’s Lodge junction has something like half the Danish design? I doubt I’d be tempted to stop “in the middle of nowhere” on the crossings of the side roads to make a right turn. You can at least see a traffic light though…
I’ve also been “enjoying” pedantically following the cycle lights on Leith Walk (having moved to one side to allow the delivery cyclists through) although at some point I got bored and followed them.
It is not the worst thing in the world… but it certainly doesn’t feel like being a first-class citizen. Especially when you’re held while traffic goes ahead (because it could left-hook you).
As per usual – we’ve copied a better design up to the point at which it would impinge on motorised users. Or possibly merely look “unfair” – for example with an all-ways green phase you could have a lot of cyclists through the junction in in all directions in a tiny slice of time.
Hopefully “slow progress” though – after all still far more cars than cycles and you won’t get any more cyclists without good places to cycle.
I have previously made the
I have previously made the mistake of sitting on the white line waiting to turn right, moving traffic on both sides is not a place you want to be.
If I have to hold up a queue of traffic that’s what I do and sit in primary until I can turn.
My slightly paranoid fear is a motorcyclist filtering just as I turn… so I ALWAYS LOOK.
Ride On wrote:
I’ve noticed that the motorists seem happy to pass you much closer on your left, if you are waiting at the white line to turn right…
brooksby wrote:
because the driver is closer to you and better able to judge exactly where they can drive without actually making contact.
wycombewheeler wrote:
Fixed 😉 It’s still pretty scary, TBH, as they also don’t seem to feel the need to slow down either.
And from being behind drivers
And from being behind drivers going down roads with parked cars it’s blindingly obvious they have no idea about the width of their vehicles so regularly end up a long way over into the other carriageway (particularly drivers of SUVs and the like), which is ironic given that many of them are happy to give passing a cyclist with inches to spare a go.
so regularly end up a long
so regularly end up a long way over into the other carriageway (particularly drivers of SUVs and the like), which is ironic given that many of them are happy to give passing a cyclist with inches to spare a go
This is extremely noticeable during ‘constricted close-passing’ where the overtaking driver is very keen to squeeze the soft-bodied cyclist in order to avoid the oncoming hard-steel vehicle. This one is on a humpbacked canal bridge, so overtaking drivers can’t see oncoming vehicles until they arrive on the crest of the bridge- they just overtake anyway and swerve over into the cyclist if they have to! It’s PO18 OSK– VW Transporter
Milliseconds later
Milliseconds later
My experience is they don’t
My experience is they don’t give a rip on your road position but will draw alongside regardless of whatever direction you want.
.
.
Yup. NEVER wait to turn right directly on the white line in the middle of the road. Drivers will take it that you’ve given them permission to squeeze past at normal speed. Best to take primary.
.
Why is “going ahead on a
Why is “going ahead on a right hand bend” so hazardous? Is it due to motor vehicles overtaking when they can’t see?
If I’ve understood, I think
If I’ve understood, I think it’s that the road bends to the right and there’s a “left” turn onto another road which is geometrically a straight line.
Drivers “turning left” see the cyclist on the left of the lane; assume the cyclist is also turning; plough into the cyclist who was not turning but carrying on along the original road.
I’ve nearly come a cropper on a few like this, and tend to try and hang back or speed up so I clear the junction in splendid isolation.
Brauchsel wrote:
And don’t forget that the motorists never seem to think that they ought to indicate left, in that circumstance.
brooksby wrote:
Indeed, when IK was crossing such a road and the taxi driver came barelling through “what are you doing getting in the way?” “can’t you finid your indicators? Shall I help you?” “why would I indicate for going straight on?”
(it’s your job to get out of the way of my 2 tonne metal box, EVEN when I don’t give you any hint about where I am going.)
Right, so if the motorway bends to the left, you can move out a lane or two without indicating right? because if you you don’t turn the wheel it isn’t a manouvre and doesn’t require a signal?
I’m not one bit surprised.
I’m not one bit surprised. For many years I was a B.C. ride leader. I used to lead rides all over the country. One of my biggest considerations, was trying to make my routes as safe as possible. Circular routes, with an anti clockwise direction, were far less risky, than any other type of route. Reducing the amount of right turns, reduced T.E.D significantly.
‘moving off resulted in the
‘moving off resulted in the second greatest number of collisions for cyclists, with 4,911 recorded between 2012 and 2021’
which is why, I believe, so many cyclists anticipate red lights. There are sections of my regular ride when I have done exactly that – to get a head start on the seething queue of traffic behind me.