Cyclist safety in the spotlight as deaths rise

Recently, there has been a rise in road deaths, and not only that but cyclist accidents as well. In 2023, there were eight cyclists who lost their lives on Irish roads, among the highest levels in Europe. This year, there have already been three cyclist deaths in Ireland, two of which were in Dublin.

The Liberties has six designated cycling shops that sell the necessary equipment to keep cyclists safe. They are The Bike Shop and Wright Cycle Centre located on Usher’s Quay, BikeExchange Ireland on Thomas Street, PK Cycles on Patrick Street, Second Hand Bikes Dublin is located on Marks Alley West, and Spin 11 – Custom Cycling Clothing on Summer Street South.  

The Road Safety Authority has a great video on their website that runs through cyclists’ safety.  

Especially around the city centre, the roads can be quite tricky to cycle on so being safe and aware of your surroundings is the most important thing. I spoke with a cyclist in the Liberties, Chris Kenny, and he said, “It’s crazy the amount of accidents I could’ve been in but have gotten lucky. I’ve seen a few accidents over the years, thankfully none too bad but it happens way more than you’d expect.”  

From 2011 to 2021 there has been a 10% increase in cyclist fatalities on the roads across Europe – with nearly 2,000 deaths.