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What’s the problem?

Put simply, bad driving is using a motor vehicle in a way that is inconsiderate and puts others at risk.

Stop SMIDSY aims to address the far too common attitude that simply saying ‘Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You’ somehow erases an act of bad driving. This is not true and it must be stopped.

How we’re campaigning to stop bad driving

CTC has long campaigned for the rights of cyclists to use Britain’s roads safely. Our Safety in Numbers research found that the more cyclists there are in a given area, the lower the risk of cycling. We also found that fear is one of the main reasons that people don’t cycle. To get more cyclists on our roads, we need to make our roads feel safer.

The police, prosecutors and the courts all contribute to protecting us from criminal behaviour on the roads. Much of the time, they are effective and many bad drivers are prosecuted and receive the appropriate penalties. Yet, unfortunately some bad drivers go unpunished due to what CTC perceives as occasional failings of these institutions. This can send out the message that driving inconsiderately or in a way that puts others at risk is acceptable.

Stop SMIDSY will look at how these institutions could do a better job at encouraging people to drive in safer and more considerate ways. But before we go to these institutions, we need proof of how they need to improve. That’s where you come in. We need you to report your experiences of bad driving using Stop SMIDSY.

If you report that you would like legal advice, we will send your information to our lawyers. They will contact you within seven days if they think you have a case.

How does this work?

• Information about the legal process
• What to do if you have been in a crash
• How to contact CTC’s legal help service
• How to improve your cycling skills
• Help with using this tool
• What happens to my data