A new petition is calling on the UK Government to introduce presumed liability in civil cases involving road collisions which could lead to huge law changes and new Highway Code rules.
The proposal would automatically hold motorists liable in incidents involving cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders unless proven otherwise.
The petition, which is currently live on the Parliament website, has gathered more than 3,150 signatures since its launch in November.
Titled "Introduce presumed liability for civil cases from road traffic collisions", the initiative aims to shift the burden of proof in certain road incidents.
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Proposed driving laws would see the introduction of presumed liability across the UK
GETTYUnder a presumed liability system, when road collisions occur, the less vulnerable road user is considered liable unless they can prove the other party was at fault.
This means drivers would automatically be held liable in incidents involving cyclists. Similarly, cyclists would be presumed liable in cases where pedestrians are injured.
The creator of the petition, John Pearson, said changes to the law would allow vulnerable road users to claim against a more powerful road user if they are involved in an accident.
He said: "We think this would compensate vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians, more quickly and effectively. Pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders are often unable to obtain compensation because of a lack of adequate evidence.
"If a vulnerable road user is killed they are not there to give evidence; if they are seriously injured it may be impossible for them to give complete or satisfactory evidence of the circumstances in which they were injured."
The system has been widely adopted across Europe, representing a significant shift in how road incident liability is determined.
The petition will remain open for signatures until May 18. If it reaches 10,000 signatures, the Government will be required to provide an official response, while 100,000 signatures will see it considered for a debate in Parliament.
Former cycling champion Chris Boardman has previously advocated for presumed liability in the UK, saying: "We need legislation that properly values people travelling actively.
"Nearly all other countries have done this, to put a duty of care in their legislation for everyone on the roads to look after a more vulnerable road user," road.cc reported.
The Olympic gold medallist suggested that implementing presumed liability could help reduce barriers for potential cyclists and encourage more people who may be hesitant to cycle in traffic.
Changes introduced in the Highway Code in 2022 aimed to make travelling safer for everyone through the launch of the so-called "hierarchy of road users".
This ensured that more vulnerable road users were protected from harm caused by larger modes of transport. For example, more protections would be in place for pedestrians, rather than HGV drivers.
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