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How To Report A Cycling Accident To The Police

Have you been involved in a cycling accident? Did you suffer an injury? If so, you might wonder what steps to take. This guide focuses specifically on the importance of reporting a cycling accident to the police and when you might be required to do so. 

Additionally, we look at some cycling accident statistics which can show the frequency of cyclists being injured in an accident and the ways road traffic accidents could be caused.

Later in our guide, we discuss other steps you could take after a cycling accident. For example, if you want to claim compensation, you will require evidence to substantiate your case so taking steps to collect proof of the accident and how it affected you can be helpful. 

Lastly, you can find information on how we can assist you if you do wish to make a personal injury claim following a cycling accident. 

For further guidance on cycling accident claims, you can get in touch with our team using the contact details below:

A woman reporting a cycling accident to the police.

Select A Section

  1. Reporting A Cycling Accident To The Police Explained
  2. How Many Cyclist Accidents Are Reported To The Police 
  3. What Do I Need To Do As A Cyclist After A Road Collision 
  4. Can I Make A Personal Injury Claim As A Cyclist After A Road Accident?
  5. How Can Legal Expert Help Me Make A Cyclist Accident Claim 
  6. More Resources On Making A Cycling Accident Claim

Reporting A Cycling Accident To The Police Explained

If you are involved in an accident that causes damage or injury with a vehicle driver, if they fail to provide their details to you, they must report the accident to the police within 24 hours. This is something you can also do.

When reporting a cycling accident to the police, you may be required to provide the following details:

  • The location of the accident.
  • The nature of the accident, such as whether a vehicle collided with something or someone.
  • Whether anyone was injured in the accident.
  • How long ago the accident happened, such as whether it was more than 6 months ago.
  • The contact details of any parties involved in the accident, such as their name, insurance details, and registration number.
  • The contact details of any independent witnesses to the accident.

You should keep hold of your police incident number and record anyone you speak to when making the police report or after it has been submitted. This can help if you later decide to claim compensation for any injuries sustained in the accident.

How Many Cyclist Accidents Are Reported To The Police? 

The Reported road casualties in Great Britain: pedal cycle factsheet, 2022, released by the Department for Transport, provides helpful statistics relating to accidents involving pedal cyclists. These statistics show how many road accidents involving cyclists were reported to the police:

  • 91 pedal cyclists killed
  • 4,056 reported seriously injured
  • 11,546 slightly injured

Furthermore, between 2018 and 2022, almost half (46%) of pedal cycle fatalities were in 2 vehicle collisions between a pedal cycle and a car.

The reporting police officer often assigns a contributory factor to provide an insight into how and why collisions occur. Whilst the factors are mostly subjective due to reflecting the opinion of the police officer, we can see that the most common factors assigned to vehicles involved in fatal or serious collisions with cyclists are:

  • Failing to look properly
  • Failing to judge another person’s path or speed
  • Driver or rider being careless, reckless, or in a hurry
  • Cyclist entering the road from pavement

A cyclist lying on the floor after falling of their bike in an accident.

Reporting a cycling accident to the police can help massively when it comes to road safety. To find out more, please see this guide from Cycling UK, a charity for cycling safety

What Do I Need To Do As A Cyclist After A Road Collision?

As well as reporting a cyclist accident to the police, there are several other steps you may need to take following a cycling accident on the road. Getting medical treatment for any injuries you have suffered should be your first priority. Injuries that may seem only minor could turn out to be much more serious, so it is always best to seek medical advice. If the accident that caused your injury was not your fault, you may be thinking about making a personal injury claim. Here, we look at steps to help you do that. 

Medical Help

After an accident in which you suffer an injury, it’s important to seek advice from a medical professional. They can investigate your injury, provide a diagnosis, and any treatment necessary. 

If you plan to claim compensation, you can gather a copy of your medical records to help support your case. For example, copies of X-rays, blood test results, notes from a doctor or the hospital could all help show what injuries you suffered and the treatment you received.

Evidence

In addition to medical evidence, you could also gather the following:

  • Contact details of any witnesses who can provide information about the accident.
  • Contact details of anyone involved in the accident including their insurance and registration details.
  • Pictures of injuries and the cause of the accident, such as another motor vehicle
  • Video footage, such as CCTV footage. This can highlight any dangerous driving by another road user putting your own safety at risk.
  • A police report
  • A diary containing information about any symptoms and treatments 

You might also need to attend an independent medical assessment. This can generate a report that can help verify the injuries you suffered were caused by the accident in which you sustained them. It can also be used to help calculate the value of your injuries. 

Legal Advice

It could benefit you to seek legal representation from a personal injury solicitor if you are looking to start a compensation claim. They could help you:

  • Gather evidence
  • Arrange for you to attend an independent medical exam 
  • Negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf 
  • Send important correspondence on your behalf 

Call our advisors today to learn more about the other steps you could take after reporting a cycling accident to the police, including gathering evidence and seeking legal representation. 

Can I Make A Personal Injury Claim As A Cyclist After A Road Accident?

In order to make a personal injury claim as a cyclist after a road traffic accident, you need to prove:

  • Another road user, such as a driver, owed you a duty of care. Road users owe one another a duty of care to prevent causing each other harm or damage while using the roads. They can uphold this duty by following the Highway Code and the Road Traffic Act 1988. The Highway Code provides rules that are backed elsewhere in law.
  • This duty was breached. For example, a driver failed to check their mirrors when pulling out of their driveway causing them to knock you over as a cyclist.
  • Due to the breach, you suffered an injury in the accident, such as a head injury and back injury.

Call our team to determine whether you could be eligible to make a personal injury claim with one of our expert cycling accident solicitors. 

How Can Legal Expert Help Me Make A Cyclist Accident Claim

Our team at Legal Expert can assess your case for free and determine whether you’re eligible to pursue compensation. If you are, they could connect you with an expert personal injury solicitor who has years of experience handling claims for cycling accidents and injuries.

Our solicitors also offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis via the terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement which means you can access their services without paying upfront or ongoing fees. You also won’t need to pay for their work if the claim fails.

To find out more about how they can help you claim compensation after reporting a cyclist accident to the police, get in touch using the details provided below:

An advisor discussing claiming for a cycling accident with a potential claimant.

More Resources On Making A Cycling Accident Claim

For more of our helpful guides:

More external resources:

Thank you for reading our guide on reporting a cycling accident to the police and other steps you could take after being injured. If you have any other questions, call an advisor on the number above.