<New driving course for cycle by University of Southampton UK>

 

 

Researchers at the University of Southampton have launched a replacement online training course,

aimed toward increasing drivers’ understanding of what it wishes to be a cyclist on the road and

reducing the number of collisions.

Any driver who never, or rarely, cycles can sign up for the course which has been designed to help

drivers see the road through the eyes of cyclists and become familiar with how the Highway Code

applies to them. It is hoped that this will provide them with a better understanding of why cyclists

undertake certain manoeuvres and anticipate how they will position themselves in various situations.

 

The decline in public transport use as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic will see more people travelling

by car and bicycle in the coming months and cyclists are disproportionately represented in accident

statistics. In 2016 over 18,000 cyclists were injured in road accidents in the UK, 3499 of whom were

killed or seriously injured. On average in Southampton 124 cyclists are involved in collisions on the

city’s roads each year, making up 16% of all accidents despite representing only 1.4% of daily traffic.

The University’s Transport Research Group developed the course in partnership with Cycling UK and

with funding from the Road Safety Trust.

Users will have access to interactive exercises and videos that explain how cyclists should behave in

various scenarios such as at crossroads and on roundabouts, and how cars can move safely passed

them. It is the final product of studies carried out by the researchers over the past year, which has

included gathering information from volunteer drivers and cyclists on their day to day journeys and from

focus group discussions.

A practical course, similar to the cycling proficiency test, will also be available to everyone who registers

once the Government’s advice on social distancing means it is safe to carry out.

Dr Katie Plant, Lecturer in Human Factors in Engineering at the University of Southampton, who is

leading the study said: “Most drivers do not get any specific training on how to interact with cyclists,

unless they encounter bicycles during their driving lessons. Despite it being such a high risk scenario, it

does not feature as part of the standard driving test and many of us will never revisit the Highway Code

once we have passed. So as a result, a lot of people don’t understand how to interact with cyclists on the

roads.”

Participants will take a questionnaire before and immediately after taking the course, and again several

months later so Dr Plant’s team can continually monitor its effectiveness.

Senior Research Assistant Matthew Webster who has developed the course with Dr Plant added: “The

course has been carefully designed based on feedback we have received from cyclists and drivers and

this is not about apportioning blame to either party for the amount of collisions that occur. Our approach

has been to give all road users a better understanding of each other’s behaviours and why accidents

happen. Even the most careful drivers and cyclists can overlook the rules that everyone needs to follow.”

 

A similar course to help cyclists understand car users better will follow later this year, including a

practical session in the University’s driving simulator, subject to COVID-19 safety precautions.