Cyclist Mark Beaumont backs civil law change for road users
Round-the-world cyclist Mark Beaumont is leading calls for the Scottish Parliament to change civil law to help protect vulnerable road users.
Round-the-world cyclist Mark Beaumont is leading calls for the Scottish Parliament to change civil law to help protect vulnerable road users.
Beaumont has fronted a video released by the Road Share campaign group which sets out the case for presumed liability.
Presumed liability is a system which would assume motorists are liable following a collision with a cyclist or pedestrian unless they can demonstrate otherwise.
In 2014, 155 cyclists were either seriously injured or killed on Scotland's roads, an increase of 16% on the 2004-2008 average.
Road Share argues that while there has been investment in cycle paths and road infrastructure, Scotland's roads still represent a "disproportionate danger" to cyclists.
In the video, Beaumont introduces Frances Darling, who tells how her sister Sally Low was killed while out cycling.
He said: "I was very moved to hear Frances explain what had happened to Sally and how our current fault-based system had let her family down.
"Presumed liability would ensure that vulnerable road users are compensated quickly and fairly, and the bereaved and those who suffer serious injury are treated with compassion.
"I hope that all MSPs in the new Scottish Parliament take a few minutes to watch this video to better understand the issue and then take positive steps to bring about this legislative change."
A petition calling for the change in the law to be brought in has attracted more than 10,000 signatures.
Brenda Mitchell, founder member of Road Share and lead solicitor with Cycle Law Scotland, who represented Sally's family, said: "Sally did nothing wrong and the driver who hit her was fully insured yet Sally's family had to resort to litigation to recover much-needed compensation.
"It's disgraceful that the insurer wouldn't even pay for funeral costs at an early stage and didn't consider easing the financial burden on Sally's family.
"Presumed liability rights a wrong in our current fault-based system and ensures the weak are protected."
Beaumont, from Perthshire, broke the Guinness World Record for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by bicycle in 2008 aged 25 when he completed the 18,296-mile journey in less than 195 days.