Other road users

You, as a driver, aren’t the only person using the road. Most other types of road user are more vulnerable than you are because they’re less well protected in the event of a collision.

Cyclists

Make allowances for cyclists. They have every right to be on the road, but they’re vulnerable. The younger the cyclist, the more vulnerable they’re likely to be.

Allow cyclists plenty of room; they might

• glance round, showing they could be about to move out or turn
• veer suddenly into your path
• be carrying items that may affect their control and balance
• weave about, slow down, or stop on uphill gradients
• swerve around potholes or drain covers or to avoid being hit by carelessly opened vehicle doors
• have problems in bad weather, particularly when there are strong side winds
• have difficulty on poor road surfaces or where tramlines are set into the road.

Look out for them particularly when you’re

• in slow-moving traffic
• emerging from a junction
• negotiating a roundabout.

They could be travelling faster than you first think, so never rely solely on a quick glance.

Don’t assume that cyclists will always adopt a position on the left of the road or use cycle lanes; it’s sometimes safer for them to adopt a more central position in the road. Don’t drive aggressively or try to intimidate them.

When travelling at low speeds, such as at junctions, cyclists are likely to be more unstable and therefore more vulnerable. Give them plenty of room.

Motorcyclists

Make allowances for motorcyclists.

Much of what has been said about cyclists also applies to motorcyclists.

They’re very vulnerable because, like cyclists, they’re much smaller than other vehicles, with a narrow profile that makes them difficult to see. They can also appear to be further away than they actually are, making it difficult to judge when it’s safe to emerge in front of them or turn across their path. However, motorcyclists travel much faster than cyclists, so situations can develop much more quickly than those involving cyclists.

Many road traffic incidents happen because drivers fail to notice motorcyclists, so look out for them when

• emerging from junctions. The motorcyclist may be travelling along the major road and may be hidden behind other traffic. They may also be hidden by signs, trees, street furniture, etc
• turning into a road on your right. The motorcyclist may be following, overtaking or approaching you. Oncoming motorcyclists may be particularly difficult to see if they’re being followed by a larger vehicle
• changing lanes or moving out to overtake slower-moving or parked vehicles.

Think once

Think twice

Think bike!

Pay special attention to motorcycles and scooters displaying L plates. The riders of these machines may be riding on the road with very little experience, so they’re particularly vulnerable.

Motorcycles in windy weather

Windy weather has a big effect on motorcyclists; they can be blown into your path, so

• if you’re overtaking a motorcyclist, allow extra room
• if a motorcyclist in front of you is overtaking a high-sided vehicle, keep well back, as they could be blown off course
• be particularly aware of motorcyclists where there are side-wind warning signs.

Powered vehicles used by disabled people

These small vehicles (also known as invalid carriages) can be used on the pavement and on the road. They’re extremely vulnerable when they’re on the road because of

• their small size
• their low speed – they have a maximum speed of 8 mph (12 km/h).

Their small size means they’re not easy to see. On a dual carriageway where the speed limit exceeds 50 mph (80 km/h) they should be displaying an amber flashing light, but on other roads you may not have that advance warning.

Buses and coaches

Look well ahead when you see buses and coaches at a bus stop. Be aware of

• people getting off the bus or coach. They may not look properly before they cross the road – and even if they do look, their view is often restricted
• buses and coaches pulling away from the bus stop. If they’re signalling to move out, give way to them if you can do so safely.

Pedestrians

Always drive carefully and slowly in areas where there are likely to be pedestrians, such as residential areas and town centres.

Be particularly careful in Home Zones and Quiet Lanes, where people could be using the whole of the road for a range of activities.

Always look out for pedestrians when

• turning from one road into another – give way to people who are crossing the road into which you’re turning
• approaching pedestrian crossings. Never overtake on the approach to a crossing
• driving past a bus or tram stop, as pedestrians may walk out into the road.

Keep your speed down when driving in an area where there are pedestrians, especially children. If a pedestrian is in collision with a car, the survival rate of the pedestrian reduces drastically the faster the car is travelling.

Older people

Several factors make older people more vulnerable.

If they have poor eyesight or hearing, they might not be aware of approaching traffic. They might not be able to judge the speed of approaching traffic when crossing the road. Even when they do realise the danger, they may be unable to move quickly, or they may become flustered.

They may also take longer to cross the road. Be patient and don’t hurry them by revving your engine or edging forwards.

People with disabilities

Take special care around people with disabilities.

Visually impaired people may not be able to see you approaching. They may carry a white cane or use a guide dog. The guide dog has a distinctive looptype harness. Remember, the dog is trained to wait if there’s a vehicle nearby.

A person with hearing difficulties isn’t easy to identify, so take extra care if a pedestrian fails to look your way as you approach. Remember they may not be aware of your presence. They may have a guide dog wearing a distinctive yellow or burgundy coat.

Those who are deaf and blind may carry a white cane with a red band or may be using a guide dog with a red and white harness. They may not see or hear instructions or signals.

Children

Take extra care where children might be around, particularly in residential areas and near schools and parks.

Drive carefully and slowly past schools, especially during school start and finish times. Be aware that

• two amber lights, flashing alternately, are used to alert drivers to a school crossing patrol ahead
• a school crossing patrol may stop you to escort children across the road
• children may be getting on or off a bus showing a ‘school bus’ sign.

Children are impulsive and unpredictable. Therefore, drive slowly in narrow roads where parked cars obscure your view.

Look out for parked ice-cream vans. Children are usually more interested in ice cream than they are in traffic and they may forget to look before running across the road.

Animals

Animals are easily frightened by noise and vehicles coming close to them. You should

• drive slowly and quietly; don’t sound the horn
• keep your engine speed low; don’t rev your engine or accelerate rapidly once you’ve passed them
• always watch out for animals on unfenced roads, as they may step out in front of you. You should always be able to stop safely within the distance you can see to be clear, especially at night when your lights are dipped.

Give animals as much room as possible.

People in charge of animals

If someone in charge of animals signals to you to stop, do so and switch off your engine.

Horses

Be particularly careful when approaching horses, especially those being ridden by children.

As a driver you should

• look out for horses being led or ridden on the road •
• take extra care and keep your speed down at left-hand bends, especially on narrow country roads
• slow down when you see a horse rider on the road.

Be aware that at roundabouts and at junctions where a horse rider is turning right, they may signal right but keep to the left-hand side of the road (and the outside lane round the roundabout) for safety.

As you approach a horse rider from behind

• slow down, give them plenty of room and be prepared to stop
• don’t sound your horn or rev your engine. Horses can be easily scared by noise and may panic around fast-moving vehicles
• look out for signals given by the riders and heed a request to slow down or stop.

Always pass horses slowly, giving them plenty of room.

Take special care when meeting what appears to be a riding-school group.

Many of the riders might be inexperienced. Horses are potential hazards and you should always take great care when approaching or passing them.

Also look out for horse-drawn vehicles and treat them in a similar way to horses being ridden.

Wild animals

Over 2 million deer live wild in Great Britain. Increases in the deer population, combined with a rise in traffic volumes, have resulted in a large number of road traffic incidents involving deer each year.

Incidents happen throughout the year, but they’re more likely during May, and from October through to January. The risks increase around dawn and dusk, when deer activity peaks, coinciding with rush hours.

To minimise the risk of collisions with deer

• Pay attention to deer warning signs.
• Keep your speed down.
• Take extra care at dawn and dusk, when deer activity is at its highest.
• Use your headlights on full beam if there’s no traffic, so you can see any deer. Dip them if you see a deer, otherwise it may freeze in your path.
• Be aware that many deer could be in the area – not just the ones you spot.

Report any collisions with deer to the police non-emergency number, 101, so that a deer warden can attend. If the animal is dead, then you should report it to the local authority so they can remove it.