Instead of swearing at each other on our roads let’s #sweartochange and be more compassionate and considerate to ALL road users in future.
Over half of road users including motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, runners and wheelchair users have felt intimidated, says a new AutoTrader survey.
Some 18% of road users have been threatened physically and a staggering one in ten has actually come to blows! For those people running or cycling on the road, the statistics get worse with one in five joggers being caught up in a physical altercation last year and one in eight cyclists facing the same.
Nearly a third of runners and a fifth of cyclists said they were left feeling scared for their safety after the incident.
The #SwearToChange Prize Draw
In an attempt to encourage a constructive debate about road safety #SwearToChange is giving away 20,000 items of free reflective outdoor jackets, back pack covers and dog-leads to people who want to be more visible in the dark, winter months.
In return, AutoTrader simply asks all recipients to acknowledge and encourage a change in old attitudes on UK roads in a bid to recognise road equality and rights.
The #SwearToChange items are available from www.autotrader.co.uk/swear-to-change and will be prize-drawn every day EITHER until 24 February 2019 OR until the total 20,000 allocation is fulfilled, if before.
The campaign is being supported by Double Olympic Gold medal winning cyclist and jockey Victoria Pendleton and British Paralympian athlete and Strictly Dancing favourite Lauren Steadman.
As Victoria Pendleton puts it: “These results show that we can all do more to make Britain’s roads a more pleasant place to be. As someone who cycles, horse rides, drives and walks I know things could be better. Instead of swearing at each other, let’s swear to change the way we treat our fellow road users.”
And Lauren Steadman adds: “I spend a lot of time running, cycling and driving on UK roads and I find it alarming to see these statistics about aggression, physical violence and abuse. I think it shows that, collectively, we can all contribute to improving attitudes and consideration on the roads, creating a safer environment for everyone.
FOXY Founder Steph Savill agrees: “FOXY Lady Drivers Club is happy to support AutoTrader’s #SwearToChange campaign because we agree it’s time to address selfish behavioural attitudes which affect the road safety of others. Just because some of us pay road and fuel taxes mustn’t mean we should ignore the rights of other road users to be treated with mutual care and respect. And of course few cyclists are perfect either.”
Almost two thirds of the AutoTrader survey agree that we all SHOULD share responsibility for one another on the road. Sadly that leaves a significant number of selfish road users who don’t think of others. These are the individuals we need to reach and re-educate here.
