NATIONAL NEWS - In an ongoing effort to promote safety on South African roads, Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire (Bakwena) urges cyclists to keep off freeways and stop endangering their own and others' lives.

They have seen an influx of cyclists on freeways and a lot of people do not know that it is completely illegal to cycle on a freeway, not only that but it is extremely dangerous. There is a misconception that the national freeways are safer for bicycles. The truth is, cyclists, put themselves at greater risk of serious collision due to the higher speeds that motor vehicles can travel on freeways up to 120 km/h.

In an ongoing effort to promote safety on South African roads, Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire (Bakwena) urges cyclists to keep off freeways and stop endangering their own and others' lives.

Bakwena Commercial Manager, Liam Clarke, says the toll concessionaire has noticed a significant increase in the number of cyclists using its routes. "It is illegal and extremely dangerous for cyclists to be on the freeways, especially given the increase in the number of fatal accidents involving cyclists."

Clarke points to challenges that cyclists face on public roads and freeways according to Arrive Alive: Vulnerability, if the collision speed exceeds 45km per hour, there is a less than 50% chance that the cyclist will survive the impact.

Even at a low impact speeds, cyclists can be badly injured. "Given that vehicles travel at speeds of up to 120km per hour on the freeway, it becomes self-evident why cyclists should avoid these roads," says Clarke.

Flexibility motorists can never be sure when or where to expect cyclists, especially in instances where some cyclists tend to ignore the road rules.

"Cyclists are not expected on freeways and motorists are not looking out for them. This makes their situation highly precarious," adds Clarke. Invisibility cyclists are often difficult to see, even if they are wearing reflective clothing - this is especially true at night.

Estrangement cyclists are often treated as nuisances on the roads and sometimes not seen to have equal road rights. Clarke says cyclists need to plan their journeys ahead of time so that they don't escort to using the freeway as an option. "They should consider what routes to use and when they need to leave to get to their destinations on time. Cyclists who have smart-phones can use a GPS app to plan their routes accordingly.

"The time of day that cyclists decide to travel is also important. According to international statistics, most cycling accidents occur on weekday afternoons and the risk of cycling accidents is four to five times greater after sunset."

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