As winter takes hold and driving conditions become trickier BRAKE, the road safety charity, is running their annual awareness raising campaign aimed at drivers, cyclists, horse riders, motorcyclists and pedestrians.

Thatcher + Hallam are proud to support BRAKE in their tireless campaigning and Lauren Martin of the Road Traffic Accident Injury team at the local law firm has provided her five top tips for keeping ourselves and others safe when using the roads.

1. A wake up call for motorists. Stop tailgating and start actively using the two-second rule.

Rear end shunt accidents make up the majority of my caseload and it is extremely frustrating for the injured person, and myself, as these types of accident are very easy to avoid.

There is nothing to gain by driving too close to the person in front of you. It stresses them out and it stresses you out. Furthermore, if they need to stop suddenly you lose any reaction time and guess what? You are going straight into the back to them.

For the sake of safety, decency and to ensure everyone reaches his or her final destination without being injured (and with no claims bonuses intact!) you need to leave at least one car length between you and the car in front (double this if conditions are wet or icy). This will provide adequate space and time to react if there is sudden heavy braking. It also reduces stress related behaviours such as 'brake checking' and erratic driving behaviours.

1. Vulnerable road users are king. The one you are most likely to come across is a cyclist.

This means that you need to be extremely cautious when they are present on the roads. Be courteous, only overtake when safe to do so and allow a meter of space between you and the cyclist when performing an overtaking manoeuvre.

Until it is safe to overtake, keep your distance and give the cyclist a bit of space. The principle of this is that in a car versus cyclist collision the cyclist is going to come out much worse, so let's avoid the whole situation in the first place.

1. Cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians also need to be aware of road rules, blind spots of cars, speed limits of the roads being used and blind bends and corners.

We have a lot of narrow fast speed limit roads in the south west and, whilst you may be out in something other than a car enjoying the beautiful scenery, you need to be aware of hazards that you may be creating for motorists.

Although not mandatory, it is extremely useful for anyone using the roads to have a good understanding of the rules of the road and Highway Code. For example, if you are out on a training run and you're approaching a roundabout you still need to prepare to slow and stop to give way to other road users to your right or already on the roundabout, even if It's going to affect your potential PB!

Positioning when using bendy roads is also extremely important, as you will not always be visible and the risk is much greater on high speed limit roads. If there are less risky routes you can take, use them.

1. Peep and creep should be used by everyone at junctions when exiting.

Junctions can be notoriously tricky, especially where there is low visibility and high volumes of traffic.

Regardless of the type of junction, it is far safer to stop and double check the road you are exiting onto is clear rather than hoping for the best and maintaining speed as you exit out or, even worse, speeding to the stop sign and performing an emergency brake.

Peep and creep is a road usage tool everyone should be aware of. You move your mode of transport forward a little, check the roads and repeat until you are out far enough to see that it is safe to exit the junction.

1. The Dutch Reach: extremely important in preventing car dooring accidents and injuries.

A simple change in habit can save lives and prevent other road users from injury and damage to property.

If you are exiting your car anywhere other than a private driveway, use the arm furthest from the car door to reach over and open the door. This will cause your body to naturally twist and it makes it so easy to look behind you to check you are not about to open your door out into another motorist, a pedestrian, a cyclist or any other road users.

This manoeuvre has saved the lives of cyclists in the past and prior to the pandemic the government were due to launch a national campaign to educate the public about the Dutch Reach.

Inevitably accidents do happen. If you have been injured in an accident that wasn't your fault make sure you speak to a law firm or legal team who are qualified and experienced in dealing with road accident matters. Thatcher + Hallam's experienced and dedicated injury lawyers are happy to discuss any potential claims on a no obligation basis. Visit th-law.co.uk or call 01761 414646 for more information.