preferred-google-button
log in
register

Road Collision Reporting Guidelines

Magnus White (USA Cycling/Instagram)

American cyclist’s death sparks law change mandating police to offer a breathalyser test to all drivers involved in serious collisions

A promising junior cyclist was killed by a driver who was not made to do a breathalyser test, but was later found to be drinking

Sat, Jun 06, 2026 15:41
7
West Yorkshire Police Can You Help poster

“Car moved towards cyclists causing several to be dismounted,” police say – after two riders seriously injured in incident involving overtaking driver

Rider involved alleges overtake "caused panic" and "a touch of wheels" after driver tried to pass group ride on a blind bend

Mon, Aug 18, 2025 13:46
18
BBC “accident” headline

BBC edits headline after backlash over claim cyclist knocked off bike by drink driver using phone was an “accident”

Cyclist left with "devastating" facial injuries is to be one of the first patients to benefit from a unique NHS body parts 3D-printing centre, but article heavily criticised for claiming injuries were sustained in an "accident" involving drink driver

Tue, Jun 17, 2025 12:24
37
Richmond Park crash (via Twitter Royal Parks Police)

Police no longer describing road collisions as ‘accidents’ – but over two-thirds still refer to vehicles instead of drivers, new research finds

Just five of the UK’s 45 police forces have formally adopted the Road Collision Reporting Guidelines launched in 2021, with only one using them in practice

Fri, Nov 29, 2024 18:11
27
Newmarket Road fatal collision sign, Norwich (credit: Peter Silburn)

National Highways to stop calling collisions ‘accidents’, as campaigners welcome “significant step” in recognising crashes are “not random events, but preventable incidents caused by human actions”

"For far too long, the term 'accident' has masked accountability and allowed society to dismiss the daily tragedy of road deaths and serious injuries as inevitable"

Wed, Oct 16, 2024 13:47
24
BBC describes crash as accident in original headline on Johnny Gadreau fatal collision with drink driver

BBC “sorry” cyclist “did not appreciate” headline branding crash which saw drink driver kill ice hockey star and brother while cycling a “car accident”

The broadcaster has changed its description of the fatal collision to “bike and car crash”, after readers pointed out the original vocabulary used in the story was “biased and incorrect”

Thu, Sep 05, 2024 16:33
17
Richmond Park crash (via Twitter Royal Parks Police)

“We try to use language that ordinary people use”: BBC defends use of “accident” to describe road traffic collisions

“The Road Collision Reporting Guidelines are guidelines, not rules,” says the broadcaster

Sun, Nov 06, 2022 13:01
55
Richmond Park crash (via Twitter Royal Parks Police)

“Language matters” – Road collision reporting guidelines launched

Guidelines urge media to use “crash” or “collision” instead of “accident” and to refer to “driver” rather than “car,” among other things

Tue, May 18, 2021 11:02
32
Daily Mail Lycra Louts

Complaint against Daily Mail upheld over false claim that campaigners wanted “abuse of cyclists to be made a hate crime”

Newspaper ordered to issue clarification after press watchdog IPSO ruled draft Road Collision Reporting Guidelines made “no suggestion” such behaviour be criminalised

Fri, Apr 09, 2021 11:06
25
Traffic police

Media guidelines launched for reporting road collisions

Journalists urged to avoid word “accident” and use “crash” or “collision” instead, and acknowledge role of drivers

Mon, Sep 28, 2020 11:41
14