A viral video showing a motorist colliding with a cyclist on a zebra crossing in Bradford has divided opinion, and shows just how difficult it can be in apportioning blame for accidents of this type. In the 11-second video, the rider begins to cycle across the zebra crossing just as a motorist drives over it without stopping. Seconds later, a second vehicle also fails to stop at the crossing and collides with the bike’s front wheel, causing it to veer off course and the cyclist to swiftly jump off his bike to avoid falling as the motorist drives off.
The question that divided social media users was whether the cyclist, motorist or both parties were at fault for what could have been a tragic accident. Many pointed to rule 81 of the Highway Code which states with reference to cyclists: ‘Do not ride across a pelican, puffin or zebra crossing. Dismount and wheel your cycle across’. The cyclist had clearly broken the Highway Code by failing to dismount and walk his bike over the zebra crossing, in which case both motorists would have been obliged to stop as they would for any other pedestrian. Further criticism included the fact that the cyclist did not wait for the traffic to stop before crossing, as well as his lack of high visibility clothing and helmet.
Other viewers believed that the second driver, in particular, was not paying attention and should have seen the cyclist and had time to stop at the zebra crossing, thus avoiding the collision. Motorists also owe cyclists a duty of care, and are obliged to drive safely and take reasonable care to avoid putting other road users at risk. In this instance, a careful and competent driver should have seen the cyclist on the zebra crossing and stopped to let them cross, rather than recklessly endangering him by failing to stop and causing a collision.
The consensus therefore was that both parties were at fault, though the degree of respective culpability and hence legal liability was hotly disputed. Often in the case of collisions involving cyclists and motorists, both parties are to some extent to blame, and this is the main reason why cyclists injured at zebra crossings and junctions should engage solicitors with experience and expertise in this area of law to obtain the best possible outcome.
