This means that a cyclist is involved in a road traffic accident every other hour in the capital.
Research of five years’ worth of police road traffic accident data* by Aviva shows that there were 22,988 motor accidents involving cyclists inside the M25 between 2009 and 2013 – more than 12 every day. Tragically, this number includes 80 fatalities. Already this year there have been four cyclist fatalities in London.
Research by the UK’s largest insurer also identified the top 10 most dangerous roundabouts and junctions in London for cyclists with the Elephant and Castle Roundabout coming out on top.
Simon Warsop, chief underwriting officer, Aviva, said: “Cycling in London has never been more popular but the continued rise in the number of accidents involving cyclists is alarming. The human cost of these incidents can be immeasurable and we believe more can be done to reduce them. Too many are killed on London’s roads and far more are seriously injured. The injuries cyclists suffer can be life-changing, and although we can fix broken metal, we can’t always fix broken bodies.
“Aviva believes an improved transport infrastructure would create safer streets which would reduce the risk of an accident for all road users. For example, we would support Transport for London’s (TfL) segregated London Cycle Superhighway and TfL’s Better Junctions Scheme.”
* The Stats 19 database of accidents reported to and/or attended by police inside the M25.
| Top ten cyclist accident hotspots in London* | ||
| Location | Cyclist accidents 2009-2013 | 2013 |
| Elephant and Castle roundabout | 80 | 18 |
| Trafalgar Square | 46 | 8 |
| Waterloo Road roundabout | 45 | 11 |
| Lambeth Bridge/Millbank roundabout | 38 | 9 |
| Upper Tooting Road/ Lessingham Ave, Ansell road/ Derinton Road | 34 | 8 |
| Grove Road/Mile end Road | 32 | 6 |
| Vauxhall Bridge/ Wandsworth Road | 31 | 3 |
| Monument tube station junction | 29 | 10 |
| Camberwell New Road/Brixton Road | 28 | 9 |
| Camberwell New Road/Kennington Road/ Harleyford Street | 28 | 5 |
| Total | 391 | 87 |
