Over a quarter of motorists in Scotland don’t know driving dangerously around cyclists could lead to driving ban or prison sentence – and over 50% say more cameras would “change their behaviour”, new survey finds

Education, enforcement, and networks of dedicated cycle lanes are key to reducing the number of cyclists killed and injured due to careless or dangerous driving, Cycling Scotland has said – after new research commissioned by the charity found that more than one in four people in Scotland are unaware that driving carelessly or dangerously around cyclists could result in a driving ban or prison sentence.

Meanwhile, as part of another Cycling Scotland survey, 58 per cent of motorists admitted that knowing their driving was being captured on camera would make them change their behaviour around people on bikes.

The findings of the two surveys have been revealed this week as Cycling Scotland, supported by Police Scotland, launches its annual Give Cycle Space nationwide road safety campaign, which aims to remind motorists of the risks of close passing and driving dangerously around cyclists.

Today we launch our road safety campaign, supported by @PoliceScotland, to remind people driving they always need to drive safely around someone on a bike. Give at least 1.5 metres of space when passing someone on a bike.#GiveCycleSpace pic.twitter.com/ngGDFgW6C7

— Cycling Scotland (@CyclingScotland) April 29, 2024

According to new Police Scotland data, on average four people a week in Scotland suffer serious, potentially life-changing injuries in collisions involving motorists while cycling.

And a new survey of 1,009 Scottish drivers has found that 27 per cent are currently unaware that driving carelessly or dangerously around people cycling can lead to a driving ban or prison sentence.

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Meanwhile, a separate survey of over 500 motorists, also commissioned by Cycling Scotland, revealed that 58 per cent of drivers said that knowing a camera could capture their driving behaviour would lead them to change how they behave around cyclists.

However, despite that particular finding, Police Scotland continues to be criticised by cyclists for the ongoing delays surrounding the proposed introduction of an online road safety reporting portal (allegedly due to budget constraints) – delays which Cycling UK said last year were putting cyclists in Scotland “at risk”.

62 per cent also said that the risk of killing or seriously injuring someone would be the most likely factor to ensure they drive safely around someone on a bike.

The same percentage of drivers claimed to always double check their mirrors and blind spot for cyclists before making a turn and other manoeuvres, with the remaining 38 percent admitting they either often, sometimes, or rarely do so.

Last year, Police Scotland’s road safety figures for the period between 2015 and 2021 revealed that motorists were at fault in almost three-quarters of all collisions between cyclists and drivers, with the data also suggesting that common tropes about ‘dangerous’ cyclists, such as riders “wearing dark clothing”, are responsible for comparatively few crashes.

New analysis of police data also, Cycling Scotland says, revealed that a “significant” number of those motorists who were at fault in fatal collisions between 2015 and 2020 (almost one in ten of the total number, and roughly half of those whose criminal history records were available) had previous convictions for driving-related offences.

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These latest findings come a few weeks after Cycling Scotland published its recent research into attitudes towards cycling, which found that more than two thirds of Scots consider not feeling safe on the roads the biggest barrier to making more cycle journeys, while 37 per cent said they would cycle more often if they were more confident.

62 per cent also said that they support re-allocating road space for cycling in their area, while 88 per cent believe cycling could improve health and wellbeing, a figure that has risen in comparison with 2022.

Launched this week, Cycling Scotland’s campaign – which will run online, on television and radio, and on buses – seeks to raise awareness of the legal passing distance of 1.5m and the responsibility of drivers to safely overtake cyclists (and the possibility of a £100 fine and penalty points for failing to do so), with the charity’s hard hitting ‘Leave Space for a Life’ advert underlining the risks of dangerous driving.

When you're driving, it might be easy to think "I can just squeeze past that bike" - but don't risk it. Close passes are dangerous, scary and have consequences. It's not just a bike, it's a person.#GiveCycleSpace pic.twitter.com/hifMFsajsm

— Cycling Scotland (@CyclingScotland) May 1, 2024

“More people are travelling by bike in Scotland which is really positive,” Simon Bradshaw, Cycling Scotland’s Road Safety Manager, said following the campaign’s launch.

“To improve our health and environment, we need to enable even more people to choose cycling. What we can’t do is accept a corresponding rise in serious injuries and deaths.

“The road safety TV ad shows someone cycling on the road from a driver’s viewpoint, together with images of their life and loved ones in the space next to them – we’re reminding drivers to Leave Space for a Life.

“Our message is that we’re all people, travelling on the road and wanting to get home safely. Dangerous and careless driving around people on bikes is risking someone’s life and risking serious legal consequences.”

He continued: “It's clear that a campaign on its own isn’t enough. We need urgent change including networks of dedicated cycle lanes and enforcement to reduce dangerous driving, especially given the number of repeat offenders involved in fatal crashes.

“Education can also play a key role in changing public opinion and behaviour and we will work with other organisations to ensure that such road safety awareness campaigns can continue.”

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“Every driver has a responsibility to safely overtake cyclists,” Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, Police Scotland’s Head of Road Policing, added.

“Cyclists are vulnerable on the road and drivers should be aware of how they can help reduce serious and fatal collisions. Police officers are out every day educating road users and carrying out enforcement, and we are part of a crucial partnership response to road safety.”