Drivers hurl litter and cigarette butts out of the window as motorcyclists overtake

• New research by IAM RoadSmart reveals that one third of bikers have experienced the shocking behaviour in the past 12 months, including being doused in windscreen wash
• Eight in ten report that drivers fail to look out for bikers when pulling out of junctions
• Motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable of all road users and are 52 times more likely to be killed in a road traffic accident than car occupants

Drivers are chucking litter and cigarette butts out of their windows as motorcyclists overtake their vehicles, according to new research. One third (37%) of bikers reported the shocking behaviour to road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, which surveyed 600 of its motorcycle members on their experiences over the past 12 months.[i]

Motorcyclists told the charity some drivers are deliberately spraying windscreen wash when they are behind them, as well as cutting them up and preventing them from filtering through traffic. Filtering through slow moving traffic is legal if it is done safely and with due care and attention. Eight in ten (80%) motorcyclists also reported seeing drivers being distracted by mobile phones, and 80 percent said drivers failed to look out for bikers when pulling out of junctions.

Other worrying behaviours include more than half of drivers failing to check mirrors as they overtake (54%), a third (28%) of people in parked cars opening their doors without checking for bikes (so-called car dooring), and more than 60 percent of drivers tailgating bikers. The extent to which riders are having to cope with poor driver behaviour is deeply concerning given that motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable of all road users and are 52 times more likely to be killed in a road traffic accident than car occupants.[ii]

According to the 2023 Department for Transport’s reported road casualty data, one third (37%) of motorcycle fatalities were in two vehicle collisions between a motorcycle and a car[iii], and the most common contributory factor allocated to motorcyclists involved in a fatal or serious collisions with another vehicle was ‘Driver or rider failed to look properly’ accounting for one third (29%) of those killed or seriously injured.[iv]

Case study – Chris Palmer - Exeter

Chris Palmer coaches motorcyclists to become an Advanced Rider with IAM RoadSmart. Chris, who is a National Observer for IAM RoadSmart Devon Advanced Motorcyclists and rides a BMW R1250GS, said: "I've had litter thrown at me as well as cigarette butts, and I've been squirted with windscreen wash. Some drivers will do it without thinking and without realising that there's a bike behind, but in other cases it's pretty obvious that it's intentional. Once, I was behind a group of four lads, keeping a safe distance. Then I noticed I was being squirted with windscreen wash, with the lads in the back looking back and laughing.

“They then decided to ramp it up a level and hurled a takeaway container out of the sunroof. Fortunately, it was empty so it just bounced off me. But if that was a heavy item, or if it happened to an inexperienced rider, it might have caused them to swerve and destabilise the bike, resulting in an accident. As well as being reckless, these incidents fuel road rage, which doesn't help anyone. If this happens, my advice to bikers is to stay calm, don't engage, keep a distance and overtake when it is safe to do so."

Case study – Graham Marsden - Portsmouth

Graham Marsden, who has been riding motorbikes since 2007 and owns a Yamaha FZ6 Fazer, said: “I've been filtering through traffic and, on more than one occasion, a driver has flicked a cigarette at me. Also, once, a driver even tossed a cola can out of their window as I was passing, fortunately it missed! Thankfully these aren't frequent occurrences, but I've had other similar experiences and while some might simply be someone being a litterbug, there have been too many for that to always be the case.

“There was also a time I went to overtake a car, and the driver deliberately accelerated to prevent me from passing, putting me in a dangerous position.”

The IAM RoadSmart Solent member added: “Incidents like this create a hostile environment on the road and mean that you always have to consider situations like this in your riding plan in order to remain safe.”

More than 1,000 drivers were also polled, in turn reporting bad behaviour from bikers.

One in three (35%) drivers said they had encountered a biker approaching in their lane while overtaking a vehicle on the other side of the road, risking an oncoming collision. Another 35 percent said they has been tailgated by a motorcyclist, and 36 percent reported a close pass when being overtaken by a biker.

IAM RoadSmart Policy and Standards Director Nicholas Lyes said: “Hurling litter and cigarette butts at motorcyclists is shocking and completely reckless. Taking umbrage just because bikers able to get ahead is at best petty, and at worst downright dangerous.

“Equally motorcyclists should ride responsibly, but it’s important to keep in mind that bikers are some of the most vulnerable on the road and will almost always come off worse in the event of a collision.

“Deaths and serious injuries remain a real concern for motorcyclists, but a little courtesy and additional checks go a long way to improving the safety of some of the most vulnerable on the road.”

As well as being dangerous, littering is a criminal offence that can result in a fine. A motorist in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire is believed to be one of the first to be issued with a fixed penalty notice at the new, higher rate of £500, after being caught on another driver’s dashcam.[v]

According to separate research from IAM RoadSmart, nearly half (45%) of 2,000 adults polled said they were more concerned about litter on roadside verges than they were 12 months ago.[vi]

For more information about IAM RoadSmart’s Advanced Rider Course, click here

ENDS

Notes to editors

For interviews, contact the IAM RoadSmart press office on press.office@iam.org.uk / 020 8996 9777

About IAM RoadSmart

IAM RoadSmart is the UK’s largest road safety charity providing advanced driver and rider training. It has a vision of a society where all road users can safely use the public highways together.

IAM RoadSmart was formed in March 1956 and has around 70,000 members and 5,000 volunteers that support its campaigns on road safety. At any one time there are more than 7,000 drivers and riders actively engaged with IAM RoadSmart’s courses.

The charity also delivers courses in the workplace. To find out more about how IAM RoadSmart can help with fleet and work training visit www.iamcommercial.co.uk

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