Personal injury solicitors have praised a cycle accident data collecting project after it secured new Department for Transport funding.
The project, Collideoscope, allows users to record cycle accidents of varying severity as well as near-misses they have been involved in. Users can provide the details of the collisions such as whether there were potholes that worsened it or if the cyclist was wearing hi-vis clothing.
The organisation behind the project, MySociety, believes these near-misses often discourage people from taking up or continuing to cycle in the UK’s cities.
James Pritchard, a keen cyclist and specialist personal injury solicitor at Macks, said the funding is good news.
“Cycling is both kind to the environment and improves participants’ health,” he said. “However, too many cyclists are put off after accidents or near misses. Gathering this information is a great idea. Hopefully the authorities will be able to analyse it and redesign infrastructure to reduce risks and improve cyclists’ safety.”
The money will allow the project to extend and improve its website and add new features.
As well as cyclists, motorists and bystanders are encouraged to document their experiences.
MySociety hopes the information will be a welcome addition to the cycle-safety debate.
A map of the incidents is available to view online and can be searched by location or postcode. Although in the public interest, the purpose of the mapping system is to inform decision-making among the relevant groups, with the aim of making urban cycling safer. Police forces, councils, and road planners are encouraged to analyse the data.
The visual mapping of data reveals the accident blackspots and the type of road layouts where crashes are more common.
Additionally, when users submit their self-reported collisions, the data is automatically sent to the local council.
The organisers of the project are hoping to use the funding to develop a more efficient reporting system to inform local councils and increase their work alongside police forces to ensure incidents are given sufficient police attention.
If you are a victim of a cycling collision and think you may have a claim, you can contact Macks Solicitors’ personal injury lawyers in Middlesbrough, Darlington, and Redcar on 01642 252 828. Macks has a team of specialist cycling accident solicitors, who are experienced in dealing with a range of cycle collision claims. You may be able to claim compensation for injuries sustained and the damage to your property, whether you were a driver, cyclist or pedestrian in the accident.
