{"id":6451,"date":"2026-06-30T11:27:54","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T09:27:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/?p=186352"},"modified":"2026-06-30T11:27:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T09:27:54","slug":"winters-here-and-south-africas-roads-just-got-more-dangerous-for-cyclists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/winters-here-and-south-africas-roads-just-got-more-dangerous-for-cyclists\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter\u2019s Here and South Africa\u2019s Roads Just Got More Dangerous for Cyclists"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As World Bicycle Month and Safety Month converge in June, South African roads enter their most dangerous period for cyclists: winter. Reduced daylight combined with heavy rainfall in some regions and increased dust and smog in others, along with deteriorating infrastructure, creates challenging conditions.<\/p>\n

Michael Foster, King Price Xtreme mountain biker, navigates these conditions often and sees the dangers firsthand.<\/p>\n

\u201cSouth Africa\u2019s road conditions are difficult all year round, but they get even more dangerous in winter,\u201d he says. \u201cWhile the King Price Xtreme team competes off-road, we often train on-road, and we\u2019re also drivers. We see the same worrying behaviour from all road users.\u201d<\/p>\n

Winter changes how South Africans use roads. Reduced daylight means commuters travel more often in low-light conditions, while rain, dust, smog, potholes, and broken street- and traffic-lights create additional hazards. For cyclists, who overwhelmingly share roads with cars, buses, and trucks because there are very few dedicated lanes for bicycles, these conditions become even more difficult to navigate.<\/p>\n

The scale of the challenge is significant: More than 2,000 cyclists died on South African roads between 2018 and 2022, with low light conditions accounting for a large proportion of these fatalities. At the same time, June and July see peak participation in road cycling events, meaning more riders are training during the country\u2019s most hazardous season.<\/p>\n

What cyclists can do differently<\/strong>
For cyclists, visibility becomes the first priority.
Research from the UK Department for Transport found that high-visibility clothing can reduce the risk of collision by up to 38% in low-light conditions. Foster says this is especially relevant in South Africa, where many riders train or commute at dawn and dusk: \u201cCyclists often think visibility is only about seeing the road ahead. In winter, it\u2019s also about making sure drivers can see you early enough to react.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lighting matters too. Front and rear lights should become standard all-day equipment rather than being reserved for night rides.<\/p>\n

Wet weather also requires cyclists to adjust how they ride. Arrive Alive states that, in wet conditions, \u2018stopping distances will be at least double those required for stopping on dry roads\u2019. In effect, this vastly reduces the margin for error when braking or cornering.<\/p>\n

\u201cWinter isn\u2019t the time for sudden movements,\u201d says Foster. \u201cRide predictably, signal clearly and, if you need to move around a pothole or obstacle, make sure the drivers around you can see what you\u2019re about to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

What motorists need to know<\/strong>
For motorists, winter road safety often comes down to anticipation.<\/p>\n

The National Road Traffic Act requires motorists to maintain safe following distances and provide sufficient clearance when passing cyclists, yet many drivers are unaware of these obligations.<\/p>\n

Drivers should also expect cyclists to move more than usual on damaged roads. \u201cIf you see potholes, gravel or puddles, or notice that there\u2019s no emergency lane, assume that the cyclist ahead may need to change position suddenly,\u201d Foster explains. \u201cCreating extra space gives everyone more time to react.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patience matters too. Aggressive hooting, revving, or squeezing past cyclists may save seconds but can create dangerous situations.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, says Foster, safer winter roads aren\u2019t about cyclists versus motorists.
\u201cIn practice, sharing the responsibility for safer roads is simple,\u201d he says. \u201cCyclists need to remember that drivers might not always see them, and drivers must bear in mind that cyclists have very little room to manoeuvre. The moment both sides acknowledge these realities, and adjust their behaviour accordingly, our roads become safer for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Author<\/strong>: Nhlalenhle Dlangalala from ByDesign Communications<\/a> on behalf of King Price Xtreme<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

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CLICK HERE to Read the Original Press Release on MyPR<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As World Bicycle Month and Safety Month converge in June, South African roads enter their most dangerous period for cyclists: winter. Reduced daylight combined with heavy rainfall in some regions and increased dust and smog in others, along with deteriorating infrastructure, creates challenging conditions. Michael Foster, King Price Xtreme mountain biker, navigates these conditions often …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","autoblue_enabled":true,"autoblue_custom_message":"","autoblue_shares":[{"did":"did:plc:revymtt5qssww7e7avbruzic","date":"2026-06-30T11:15:00+00:00","uri":"at:\/\/did:plc:revymtt5qssww7e7avbruzic\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3mpiurtj24c26","response":"{\"uri\":\"at:\/\/did:plc:revymtt5qssww7e7avbruzic\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3mpiurtj24c26\",\"cid\":\"bafyreicwvuhiwm2gu2jrbwygm3evlnwnrwtdbmanejg6okjf2lkczzzpki\",\"commit\":{\"cid\":\"bafyreictjvvparhvfxokxjpbvaoaapzjqz2agac2q4x5ceqpadn7wjn2sy\",\"rev\":\"3mpiurtjbwc26\"},\"validationStatus\":\"valid\"}"}],"autoblue_post_url":"","autoblue_publish_document":false,"republication-tracker-tool-hide-widget":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[29],"class_list":["type-post","category-news","tag-mypr-africa","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6451","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6451"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6451\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6451"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6451"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6451"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}