2 October, 2009,
Ministry of Transport
Safer Journeys
PO Box 3175
Wellington 6140
Email: saferjourneys@transport.govt.nz
Safer Journeys.
Dear Sir / Madam
Thank you for the opportunity to
provide feedback on Safer Journeys, the government's discussion document to
inform development of the new Road Safety Strategy.
This submission is made by BikeNZ
and RideStrong.
BikeNZ is the lead organization
for all forms of cycling in New Zealand. Its role is to provide leadership,
structure, guidance and governance required to guide cycling to success. BikeNZ is an umbrella organisation
representing Mountain Bike (MTB) NZ, Cycling (Road and Track) NZ, BMX NZ, NZ
Schools Cycling, the Bicycle Industry Association of NZ (BIANZ) and RideStrong
(BikeNZ's membership programme).
Is support of this submission and
the measures identified to improve road safety for cyclists, BikeNZ instigated
a public petition. Over a three week
period 11,600 people have endorsed BikeNZ's submission, and in particular, the
introduction of a 1.5 metre passing rule to provide clear standard to drivers
for safe driving behaviour when passing cyclists.
BikeNZ considers that Safer
Journey's fails to give adequate recognition and priority to the road safety
problem and needs of New Zealand's cyclists.
Safer Journeys fails to present a
comparable risk estimate to that of other road users significantly
underestimating the extent of the road safety problem for cyclists, including
both the risk of injury and cost to the country.
Risk estimates for road users are
calculated using motor vehicle crash data, significantly underestimates the
actual risk faced by cyclists due to excluding non motor vehicle cyclist crash
data collected by ACC. Doing so fails to
take into account crashes that may be caused through poor road infrastructure,
or crashes caused by, or involving motor vehicles, such as a cyclist being run
off the road or swerving to avoid a vehicle (no vehicle impact recorded).
A risk estimate calculated on
combined cycle crash data would be significantly higher considering a total of
2780 people were hospitalised following a cycling crash. This compares with 1446 motorcyclists. While not all ACC recorded crashes were on
public roads, it suggests the true risk for cyclists on our roads is considerably
higher than currently thought.
BikeNZ considers that there is
sufficient justification (benefits and costs) to treat road safety for cycling
as a high priority.
BikeNZ supports the following
measures to improve road safety for cyclists and all road users.
Make 1.5 metres of space a legal requirement to pass
There is a fundamental lack of
understanding of the risk motorists pose to cyclists - with fatal
consequences. Explicit legal provision
is required to ensure motorists give cyclists 1.5metres of room when
passing. Legal provision is critical to
reinforce safe driving behaviour as the current advisory approach has failed to
deliver safe outcomes.
Experience from the USA, where a
similar rule exists, is that police and transport officials use it as an
educational tool to modify behaviour rather than to prosecute. Prior to the law being introduced, if someone
drove to close to a cyclist, officials were not able to explain or reinforce
what is acceptable safe driving behaviour.
The notion that our roads are too
narrow to accommodate a 1.5m passing rule reflects a misjudgement that
undermines safety. It is on narrow roads
where the greatest need exists to educate road users of safe driving habits and
avoid people passing cyclists with minimal clearance compromising safety.
Road User Education and Awareness - Motorist and Cyclists
The dangers faced by cyclists from
other road users are largely a result of misjudgement or failure to see a
cyclist. Motorists need to be better
educated, aware and demonstrate safe driving practices toward cyclists. If the lane is too narrow to allow passing
with 1.5 m of space, drivers should be educated to slow down and wait until
they can make a safe passing manoeuvre.
A delay of 10 -15 seconds is no way comparable to the risk of a crash
and serious injury or death.
Safer Roads and Routes
Increasingly our roads are
becoming unsafe for cyclists. Our
roading network has undergone significant development with little or no
specific provision for cyclists. Greater
commitment needs to be given to providing a range of cycling infrastructure
through spatially separating cyclists and motorists. This includes;
-
Providing separate cycle paths
-
Providing 1.5 metre road shoulders
or cycle lanes to keep cyclists and motorists apart where the road speed zone
is greater than 50kph, or where large cyclist or traffic volumes are present.
-
Allocate space for cyclists on
major cycling routes where the existing road is wide enough to accommodate
cycle lanes.
-
Establish a cycleway network utilising
low speed, low traffic volume roads
Providing for Children.
Children under 12 years of age are
the most vulnerable members of our society.
It is unacceptable that we legally require all children to cycle on the
road with other road users placing them at significant risk. Children under the age of 12 should legally
be allowed to ride on foot paths where they are not competent or it is unsafe
for them to ride on the road. Shared
paths and safe routes need to be provided within our communities to enable
children to cycle to school and to other facilities.
Lower Speed Zones
Speed of motorists constitutes a
significant risk to cyclists and pedestrians, both toward the likelihood and
consequence of a crash. In residential
and urban areas, the speed of vehicles needs to be reduced to reduce the risk
posed to cyclists and pedestrians.
Enforcement - fines
Instant fines have proven to be an
effective and important tool to promote safer driving. Instant fines should be introduced to
reinforce safe road use around cyclists.
Actions that endanger cyclists, passing within 1.5 metres or opening a
car door on a cyclist should incur an instant fine.
Yours
sincerely,
Kieran Turner
Chief
Executive
BikeNZ