Police 'defend' car driver after cyclist is hospitalised in Coppull crash

A cyclist has suffered serious injuries after colliding with a car in Coppull, with police coming under fire for saying the driver is "completely blameless".
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Lancashire Road Police spoke out in defence of the driver of a Ford involved in a collision with a cyclist in Birkacre Brow, Coppull at 10.53am yesterday (July 14).

The cyclist had to be taken to Royal Preston Hospital by ambulance after suffering back and neck injuries, with the driver uninjured.

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Just 30 minutes after the crash, Lancashire Road Police sought to use the incident to promote safer cycling by tweeting a picture of the scene, showing damage to the windshield and bonnet of the car.

"If ever there was a scene to promote the wearing of a cycle helmet, this is it," tweeted the force, adding, "the rider has a broken arm but was wearing a helmet which has undoubtedly helped to prevent more serious injury."

But the tweet provoked the ire of some cyclists online who said the post was 'victim-blaming' the injured cyclist.

The force's road policing unit then sought to clarify its remarks, insisting that the driver of the Ford had been "COMPLETELY blameless". But this further agitated its critics.

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"Folks, this tweet is simply reporting the facts of a collision so you know what we do on a daily basis," added Lancashire Road Police.

The crash happened in Birkacre Brow, Coppull yesterday morning (July 14). Pic: Lancashire PoliceThe crash happened in Birkacre Brow, Coppull yesterday morning (July 14). Pic: Lancashire Police
The crash happened in Birkacre Brow, Coppull yesterday morning (July 14). Pic: Lancashire Police

"Whilst we appreciate that this isn't always the case, on this occasion the motorist was COMPLETELY blameless & it is unfair on him to allow trial by twitter to imply otherwise."

The police tweets have been met with a barrage of criticism, with some people saying it suggests that the cyclist had been at fault. But the officers have denied assigning blame to any party.

"Hopefully everyone knows we would never, ever victim blame," it tweeted, before adding, "The rider has a broken arm but was wearing a helmet which has undoubtedly helped to prevent more serious injury and the original tweet just sought to highlight their benefits."

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Lancashire Police has not provided details on how the incident happened, but said the crash was due to a "very simple set of circumstances" in which the "rider of a bicycle and a car have collided".

Its final tweet on the matter said: "The investigation is concluded. It really was a very simple set of circumstances, a very explanatory scene and both parties involved were able to explain what had happened, corroborating each others accounts."

North West Ambulance Service attended the scene, but its report on the man's injuries differs from the police account. Instead of a broken arm, the ambulance service said the cyclist has suffered more serious back and neck injuries.

A spokesman for NWAS said: "We were called to reports of an road traffic collision (car and bicycle) at 10.53am yesterday on Birkacre Brow, Coppull.

"We sent an ambulance and treated one patient with back and neck injuries and took them to Royal Preston Hospital."

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