What cyclists want drivers to know: road safety campaign tells all

Instead of pointing fingers or focusing on giving cyclists 'safety' advice, What Matters Most takes a much more balanced approach. 

CTC was consulted by the campaign's developers and gave its support to the proposed message.

It features two complementary web pages that clearly set out ‘What cyclists want drivers to know’ and ‘What drivers want cyclists to know.’

For instance, it asks drivers to imagine themselves into the saddle to see that cyclists "cannot travel at your speeds, they get buffeted by the gusts that your vehicle creates, feel every bump in the road, travel without three mirrors and need to work hard on every incline..."

Stephen Rumble, Road Safety Officer for Warwickshire County Council, keen cyclist and campaign lead said, “Our initial focus is on educating drivers to appreciate the needs and vulnerability of all cyclists on the road. Although we have other ideas for later campaigns, we will start by highlighting how easily people allow themselves to be distracted by things that are much less important than the safety of others.”

Drivers are often at fault when involved in a collision with a cyclist and a frequent problem is - simply - a failure to look properly and to plan ahead.  Given the relatively greater risk of serious injuries to a cyclist, it is their safety that leads this campaign.”

Stephen Rumble, Road Safety Officer
What Matters Most campaign

Endorsing What Matters Most, Professor David Cox OBE, Chair of CTC, said, “CTC is delighted to be associated with the campaign and hopes it will nurture better understanding, highlight cycling issues and ultimately, save lives.”

The Road Safety GB Mercia region incorporates twelve city, borough and county council authorities and is also supported by the Safer Roads Partnership in West Mercia. Overall, this means that the campaign should reach drivers and other road users across the whole of Birmingham and a large part of the West and South Midlands. 

The campaign’s messages will also be publicised by on-road ad van posters travelling on key routes and a Facebook page, and free posters are downloadable from the website.

Get involved and help shape the campaign!