HAVING been in a road traffic accident and survived being run over by a car, I felt the need to write, to bring people’s attention to the need to be seen – especially in poor or reduced visibility.

Twenty years ago, when I was run over, it was a dull, drizzly day and neither the driver of the car, or myself, saw each other – until it was too late.

I was hastily running across the road, while the driver had no lights on and was not driving at a safe speed.

I got away lightly with a bad open fracture of my leg, which has since healed.

Recently, while driving from Kidlington to Tackley in thick fog, I was alarmed to see – or rather, not see – a huge number of cars without lights on.

Some were also driving at undue speed.

Do people think that if they can see us, we can see them? Or perhaps they think they are invincible.

When I drove into Tackley, I was met on the road between the pub and the village hall by a rider on a horse.

Did the rider have a high-visibility jacket, stripe or hi-vis horse harness? Sadly not.

Although, on a number of occasions during my journey, I flashed cars and turned my lights on and off to get their attention, they just seemed oblivious to their need to be seen.

Some people were driving with just their side lights on. But what is the benefit of side lights in thick fog?

Many cyclists were also cycling without hi-vis clothing and no lights.

I heard recently of a teenager on a paper round who died after his faulty lights failed, and he was hit by a car whose driver had not seen him.

SARA HEPWORTH Kidlington