'Think!' road safety campaign relaunched

The UK Government is relaunching its ‘Travel Like You Know Them’ campaign in a renewed attempt to improve road safety.

The high-profile ‘Think!’ campaign is aimed at all road users – but is focused on those who pose a greater danger to others.

The aim is to help road users see beyond their own mode of transport, and reduce the risk they pose to more vulnerable travellers.

It is part of an initiative originally launched in 2022, when the Highway Code was updated, following consultation with walking, cycling and disability groups. Changes included introducing the concept of a ‘hierarchy of road users’, with those most at risk in the event of a collision at the top of the hierarchy.

“We have some of the safest roads in the world,” said roads minister Richard Holden.

“It is fantastic that the Travel Like You Know Them campaign is back to continue to raise awareness of these important changes and to change behaviour on our roads to help keep those more at risk safe.”

The relaunch follows a further £47.5m injection of government cash into safe roads funding in April. To date, the Safe Road Fund has provided £147.5m to local authorities to improve local A-roads.

The Government estimates the Safer Road Fund will save around 1450 people from being killed or seriously injured over the next two decades.

The Travel Like You Know Them campaign aims to encourage road users to:

• Give priority at junctions to people cycling straight ahead, or people waiting to cross the road
• Pass horse riders at under 10mph, leaving at least two metres of space
• Leave 1.5 metres when passing cyclists up to 30mph – and more space when overtaking at higher speeds
• Remember that cyclists may ride two abreast, or in the centre of the lane, when it is safer to do so – pulling in when save to allow vehicles to overtake

“Drivers, cyclists, pedestrians – whatever labels we use, at the end of the day, we’re all humans getting from A to B,” said RAC head of policy Simon Williams.

“This campaign reminds us all, in a very personal way, of the responsibilities we have for looking after each other.”

“Since the new Highway Code changes were rolled out,” said IAM RoadSmart chief executive Antony Kildare, “there has been further need of an educational campaign to ensure the amendments are disseminated and fully adopted by the millions of existing drivers, motorcyclists and other road users.

“IAM RoadSmart believes a relaunch of the Travel Like You Know them campaign that encourages motorists to think of others, and that aims to influence behavioural change, may prevent people from taking unnecessary and uninformed risks.”