Driving safely around cyclists
Published 9 April 2021
Last updated 25 August 2026
Get 8 top tips for driving safely around cyclists. Includes how much space to give them, what to look out for at junctions and important Highway Code rules.
A few months back, we wrote a piece about how to share the road safely with cyclists. Now, as a reader of this blog, you’re obviously a person of taste and intelligence, and you might be wondering why it’s important to go over this topic again. Well, with 3,337 cyclists killed or seriously injured on our roads in 2015(1), it’s clear that there’s still work to do.
So, again, here’s our advice on how to share the road safely with cyclists
- It may sound very obvious, but use your indicators in good time. Cyclists will not know what you intend to do purely from your road position, so give them (and other road users, of course) the clear signal they need.
- When you’re doing any kind of turning, look out for cyclists. They can often be hidden behind other vehicles or in your blind spot. Use your mirrors and check all around you before you begin any manoeuvre.
- It’s often very difficult to see cyclists, especially when they’re coming up behind you, coming out of junctions, making their way around roundabouts, overtaking you or filtering through traffic. Always look out for them before you emerge from a junction; they could be approaching faster than you think. You can read more about looking out for cyclists in The Highway Code or in section 10 of The Official DVSA Guide to Driving – the essential skills.
- The Highway Code recommends giving cyclists at least 1.5 metres of space when overtaking them at speeds of up to 30 mph. If you’re going faster, you should leave them even more space than that. That may sound like a lot, but they may not be able to travel in a straight line due to road or weather conditions, like when they avoid potholes or are blown off course by strong winds. If there is not enough space to pass a cyclist safely, then do not attempt to do it. You can find out more about passing cyclists safely from this YouTube video, presented by Olympic champion cyclist Chris Boardman.
- As well as giving signals, cyclists will sometimes give you clues to their intentions. For example, if they look over their shoulder, it could mean that they‘re about to pull out, turn right or change direction. Give them the time and space to do what they need to do.
- You should always be especially careful with cyclists on roundabouts. They may stay in the left-hand lane when they intend to go across or continue around the roundabout. The Highway Code also says you should also never attempt to overtake a cyclist in your lane, and you should be aware that they may move across into your path while cycling.
- Always check for passing cyclists before you open your car door.
- Some traffic lights have advanced stop lines that allow cyclists to get to the front and increase their visibility. If the lights are amber or red, stop at the first white line you reach, and allow cyclists time and space to move off when the green light shows.
So there you have it. Put all this into practice the next time you encounter a cyclist and you should feel a whole lot more confident about sharing the road with them. For more tips and advice, head over to the Safe Driving for Life shop and pick up a copy of The Official DVSA Guide to Driving – the essential skills. You can also get more useful information by visiting our colleagues at THINK!