Andrew Harding is chairman of Headway, Cardiff, the brain injury charity and a board member of the Headway charity nationally. He is a member of the Court of Protection court user group and is listed as a leader in the field of personal injury in the Legal 500.
THE death of a 28-year-old cyclist in London last week led to Olympic Gold medallist Bradley Wiggins being asked to comment on whether cyclists should be made to wear helmets.
His comments brought the issue of cycle helmets back into the spotlight and sparked a heated debate about whether now is the time for new legislation to be introduced.
As chairman of Headway, this is a campaign that I am all too familiar with and fully support Headway’s call for helmets to be made compulsory for cyclists in an attempt to save lives and prevent lifelong disability.
The wearing (or not wearing) of cycle helmets remains an on-going and increasingly high-profile area for concern. Recent reports suggest that fatal and serious cycling accidents have increased by 74% in Wales, and a total of 118 cyclists were killed or seriously injured last year – an increase on the previous highest number of 68 recorded in 1997.
A sharp rise in the number of people
making personal injury claims following a road accident has been revealed by
insurance analysts.
A report from the Actuarial Profession reveals that despite an 11% fall in
the number of road accidents in 2011, personal injury claims rose by 18%.
It says this may cost the insurance industry an extra £400m a year.
The government is planning new laws to limit the amount of money that firms
can make from 'no win no fee' cases.
The legislation, announced in March 2011 by Justice Secretary Ken Clarke,
would prevent lawyers claiming "success fees" from the losing side. Instead they
would receive a share of the damages.
The proposals follow a review carried out by Lord Justice Jackson in 2010 at
the request of the previous government.
The legislation also aims to prevent insurance companies and others from
passing on motorists' details after an accident.
