Being aware of other road users

Pedestrians
According The Royal Society of the Prevention of Accidents, more than 60 child pedestrians are killed or seriously injured every week. Young people are often distracted and not paying full attention when they cross the road. But it isn’t just young people who are at risk. Older people can also have difficulty seeing or hearing approaching traffic and it may take them long to cross the road.

Remember:

Give older people and people with disabilities more time to cross the road.
Even an adult has hold of a child’s hand, there is still a chance the child could break away and run into the road – so keep your eyes peeled as children can be hard to see.
Expect the unexpected.
Avoid parking at pavements.
Stop at zebra crossings if someone is waiting to cross and at school crossings patrols.
Never wave a pedestrian across the road - there may be other traffic overtaking from behind you.

Cyclists
Bikes can be difficult to see, especially at junctions. Accidents often happen when cyclists are turning left at junctions and they are crushed against railings or pulled under the wheels of cars also turning left. They are also vulnerable at roundabouts because they can’t pull away quickly.

Remember:

Slow down for cylists.
Bikes can wobble and are affected by side winds so give them room.
Cyclists will ride away from the kerb to avoid any drains and debris and to be seen more easily.
Slow down for bends – you don’t know if a cyclist is behind one.
Take extra care at night – cyclists are more vulnerable as its harder to see them.
Check your left wing mirror before turning left – the larger your vehicle the more aware you need to be.
Be careful when overtaking a cyclist, give them room.
Respect cycle lanes and Advance Stop lines.
Never overtake a cyclist and then turn left shortly afterwards.

Motorcyclists
According to the road safety charity Brake, one of the biggest killers of motorcyclists is drivers failing to spot them and pulling out on them. However, they can be difficult to see, especially at junctions because they can be moving quicker than you might think.

Motorcyclists can be affected by side winds, when being overtaken. Many are injured when cars pull out of junctions.

Remember:

Motorbikes are affected by side winds and may have to veer unexpectedly to avoid litter or manhole covers so give them time and room.
Look twice for bikers, especially at junctions – they can be hard to spot.
Check your mirrors – especially when turning left, changing lanes, pulling out of junctions, and at roundabouts.
Never think its safe to emerge from a junction after an approaching car has passed – a bike could be behind that car.
Be careful when overtaking, give them plenty of room.
Spilt fuel can be dangerous for motorbikes so make sure your fuel cap is secure.

Horse riders
Horses can get panicked or frightened in traffic so it is important that as a driver you understand how to avoid accidents.

Remember:

Give horses plenty of room, drive past them slowly and be prepared to stop.
Keep your engine noise as quiet as possible and avoid using your horn.
When driving around bends on rural roads, be careful, a horse could be on the other side.
Look for signals by the horseriders – be aware if turning right, they may move into the centre of the road.
Horse riders prefer not to use the roads, but sometimes it’s essential to reach bridleways and other off road facilities.
If they are riding in double file, it might be to protect the novice rider or nervous horse.
They are often able to see and hear further ahead than a motorist, and may signal to you.

For more information about fire safety or to book a FREE home fire risk assessment visit the Fire Gateway website at www.fire.gov.uk.