75% of driving instructors think a cycling safety element is needed in UK driving test

It’s education not just legislation that’s needed

Findings from our recent research with instructors suggests that 75 per cent of driving instructors in the UK believe the driving test needs more consideration for cycling awareness.

More and more people are expressing an interest in cycling as a result of the ‘Bradley Wiggins effect’ since the Olympics. It is now more important than ever that all road users are educated on how to share the road safely.

As a driving school, we are responsible for the next generation of drivers. Current and future road users need to be taught how to use the road safely to minimise accidents and serious incidents. If attitudes are to change, road safety education also needs to start from a very young age.

88 per cent of instructors also believe cyclists should complete some form of training programme, adding weight to the view that road safety education, for whatever transport mode, should be provided from a very young age.

We firmly believe The Government should reintroduce cycling proficiency in schools or at least facilitate partnerships between schools and The National Standards for Cycle Training, which was established as a unified cycle training programme to promote road safety.

Driving tuition is one area in particular where RED can make a real difference. The inclusion of cycling awareness at test level will teach learner drivers to be aware of cyclists and how to react in a number of situations, making them safer, more responsible drivers. We offer professional driving instructors training and our courses are designed to make sure our instructors not only qualify, but also become a first-class instructor from both a teaching and a business perspective.