Cars crash on Lea Bridge Road

Pedalling along Lea Bridge Road (A104) yesterday evening I spotted the aftermath of what appeared to be a two car crash, with one car appearing to have slammed at high speed into the back of the vehicle in front. No police, so probably no one was injured. A tow truck was there, and at least one of the cars was clearly undrivable, with its bonnet mashed up.

Which is why for a true assessment of the everyday danger on Britain’s roads you need to look not just at official casualty figures but also at insurance claims for damage, which indicate the phenomenal extent of collisions on Britain’s very dangerous roads. Assessing the supposed safety of cycling, as the Cyclists Touring Club does, on the basis of casualty figures alone completely evades the very different and far more crucial issue of exposure to risk.