Deaths on the roads fall - but not for cyclists

New statistics released by the British Department of Transport show that fewer people are dying on the nation's roads - in fact, in 2010, the total was 1,857. That's 1,857 too many, of course, but it's the lowest figure since records were first kept in 1926. If you add to this the number of people seriously injured, though, the total is 22,660, which is a shockingly high figure.

However, if the number of people killed while cycling is separated, it shows that the cyclist deaths figure rose from 104 to 111. Seven extra human lives might not seem that much to some, but it represents a 7% increase. Why does this figure rise when total deaths fall, even when cycling helmets are near-ubiquitous and the majority of riders have lights, now that good quality models cost so little?

We're not for even a second going to pretend there aren't plenty of idiots on two wheels out there, but a rise suggests one thing - the various schemes set up to protect cyclist's lives are obviously not getting through to motorists.