Crashes in racing are rare. They do happen, though, and how we prevent them and react to them says a lot about us as riders and as a community. Watch: Your Club Ride Is a Psychology Experiment. More on our YouTube channel. What causes crashesNot holding your line. Sudden moves, especially in corners and sprints.Distraction. Looking down at a head unit, fiddling with food, switching off when tired.Overlapping wheels. Front wheel alongside the back wheel in front, with nowhere to go.Braking hard in the bunch. Smooth speed changes keep everyone upright.How to ride safelyLook ahead, two or three riders up the road.Hold your line and signal hazards.Keep your bike maintained.Practise bunch skills before race day. Our skills sessions cover close-quarter riding, cornering and sprinting.If a crash happensStop safely if you can help, and alert the marshals.Check on the riders involved first. Bikes can wait.If there is any blow to the head: no more riding until checked and symptom-free.Report what you saw honestly if asked.No finger-pointingCrashes are usually the result of lots of small things together. Blaming riders creates hostility and stops people learning. Talk about it calmly, learn from it, and help new riders build their skills. That is how racing gets safer for everyone.First race coming up? Read your first road race.Skills that prevent crashesHolding a straight line while looking over your shoulder.Riding close to wheels and touching shoulders without panic.Braking smoothly and only when needed.Reading the bunch: watching riders ahead for slowing or swerves.Cornering predictably in a group.All of these can be practised safely at low speed and built up. That is exactly what our group skills sessions do.For club and race organisersClear briefings, good marshalling, safe circuits and beginner-friendly races make the biggest difference. Supporting new riders with skills sessions before their first race is one of the best things a club can do.Need a hand?Want to race with more confidence in the bunch? A coach takes the guesswork out. Monthly coaching is 140, with a 15-minute call every week. Book a free 30-minute consultation.More from the blogYour first road raceRiding in the rainHow to sprint fasterSaddle up.