Safe roads for vulnerable users
(this is an outline of the presentation that formed the basis of the discussion at the Road Safety Council on the 20.1.11)
Improvements to the „Towards Zero“ Strategy
On behalf of people riding bicycles on West Australian roads, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance recommends the following measures to make the implementation of the “Towards Zero” road safety campaign more relevant to vulnerable road users:
1. Legislate a safe distance when a motor vehicle overtakes a person riding a bicycle.
2. Reduce car speeds on the roads that form part of the “Perth Bike Network” to 30 kmh
3. Make new and existing car drivers bicycle aware by changing licensing requirements
Introduction
A couple of weeks ago, on the fourth of November, a 43 year old man riding his bicycle home from work was killed by a car travelling in the same direction. Darren Strudwick is leaving a young family behind. His death reminds us that using a bicycle on West Australian roads is a dangerous way to go to work. If we want to shift significant numbers of commuters from cars to bicycles, a safer road environment is needed. The long term solution is to have dedicated cycling infrastructure complementing the existing road network to get cyclists off the road. This is a generational aspiration. But right now we need to make the roads safer for vulnerable road users, and this is a task for the Road Safety Council as part of the “Towards Zero” strategy.
Background
The Road Safety Council has embarked on an ambitious program, originally aimed at halving the number of killed or seriously injured people (KSI) on West Australian Roads by 2020. The pillars of the strategy are safer roads, safer cars, safer drivers and safer speed. The program “Towards Zero” was based on extensive research conducted by Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC). Community consultation showed broad acceptation of the strategy, except for safer speeds. Politicians quickly agreed with road users (and special interest groups) that lower speeds were not necessary if we had safer roads, cars and drivers. The political decision overlooked the low cost of avoiding death or serious injury by lowering the speed limit ($6000 per KSI avoided) compared to engineering safer roads and roadsides ($544’000 per KSI avoided).
Also ignored were vulnerable road users. The Road Safety Council suggested that eventually a road environment that was safer for cars would somehow benefit pedestrians, people on gopher cars and cyclists. Darren Strudwick would disagree. And so would the nearly 8000 cyclist admitted to hospitals as the result of traffic crashes in Australia [1]. Safer road sides or airbags don’t benefit vulnerable road users.
Context
Australia, and Perth, uses cars as the main mode of transport for and leisure work[2].
The implications of high car usage permeate our society, and the high spending on road infrastructure is one of the results. There is a strong inverse correlation between volumes and speed of traffic and levels of cycling (Jacobsen, Racioppi, & Rutter, 2009). The traffic mix on the road has safety implications; countries with the highest car usage have a highest rate of cycling fatalities (Jacobsen, 2003) [3]. The most frequent explanations why people do not cycle involve the danger when cycling on roads, and the lack of infrastructure to cycle on. Because most single vehicle bicycle crashes are not reported (Elvik & Mysen, 1999), it is difficult to know how dangerous cycling really is.
We know that 14.6% of all road users admitted to hospitals as a result of road vehicle crashes in Australia in 2006-7 were cyclists (Henley & Harrison, 2009), but only 1.5% of people indicated they were using the bicycle to commute to work at the last census. We also know that the most common crash in which cyclists are fatally injured is the result of being hit by a car travelling in the same direction (Australian_Transport_Safety_Bureau, 2006).[4]
The benefits of active travel substantially outweigh risks due to accidents or inhaled pollution (Yang, Sahlqvist, McMinn, Griffin, & Ogilvie, 2010). In a large Danish cohort followed over 15 years a 39% reduction in all-cause mortality was observed in those who cycled to work (Baumann & Rissel, 2009). Regular exercise also improves mental health and academic achievement.[5] [6] [7]
In Perth it was found that about a quarter of people who drive to train stations would walk or cycle if a safe and attractive environment was to be provided (Batini, 2010)[8]. Providing a safe road environment to get to public transport would free expensive car park spaces for people who live too far away to walk or cycle.
Whilst the Road Safety Council does not fund infrastructure, it is in a position to make the existing roads safer for vulnerable road users. In line with the National Cycling Strategy[9], signed for West Australia by the Hon Rob Johnson MLA (Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Road Safety) and the Hon Simon O’Brien (Minister for Transport), the following measures would be useful first steps:
- “A metre matters” aims to increase the safety of people riding bicycles when they use the normal road network. It is a campaign seeking to legislate that one metre of clearance is mandatory when a motor vehicle overtakes a person riding a bicycle.
- The Perth Bicycle Network (PBN) is network of roads recommended for the use of cyclist to move from locality to locality, in contrast to the Principal Shared Paths (PSP’s) which are meant to follow rail lines and freeways, and generally lead to the CBD. The roads that make up the Perth Bike Network should be safe for all people riding bicycles irrespective of skill level. They should conform to the research that formed the basis of the “Towards Zero” strategy, with a speed limit of 30 kmh.
- Users of motorised vehicles need to behave in a safer way, and become more aware of bicycles.
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance and the West Australian Community of Cycling are available to support implementation of the above suggestions.
A metre matters
As a two wheeled vehicle, bicycles are physically unable to travel in a completely straight line. To allow for unexpected directional adjustments, car drivers should leave a meter of clearance when overtaking bicycles. The Amy Gillette Foundation is running a television campaign to promote this important safety measure (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUKGOwEddL0). This should become part of the road traffic code; it should be a rule rather than a recommendation. Safe passing distance between cars and bicycles are the law in 28 American states, and it is a recommendation in the current edition of the “Drive Safe” handbook (Department_of_Transport, 2010).
We would like the Road Safety Council to fund and support both the television campaign and the legislative process to change the Road Traffic Act, resulting in a mandated safe passing distance between cyclists and motorists.
A safe Perth Bicycle Network
The Principal Shared Paths are facilities shared by pedestrians, gopher cars and people riding bicycles. They are built separate from roads, and eventually will run along the urban train lines and freeways. They are the “freeways of cycling”. The Perth Bicycle Network on the other hand identifies less travelled routes that enable cyclists to get to their destination, be that shops, train stations, their place of work or to connect to the Principal Shared Path (PSP) network. The roads that form part of the PBN network are, apart from small directional bicycle signs, indistinguishable from any other road.
It is important to make roads that are recommended for use by vulnerable road users as safe as possible. The severity of accidents between cars and vulnerable road users is directly dependent to the vehicle’s speed, and background research undertaken by MUARC shows that 30kmh is the correct speed in environments where vulnerable road users and cars have to mix[10]. At that speed vulnerable road users have a much better chance to escape permanent injury, demonstrated in London where the introduction of 20 mph (32 kmh) zones has resulted in a casualty reduction of 41.9% – “the percentage reduction was greatest in younger children and greater for the category of killed or seriously injured casualties than for minor injuries”(Grundy, 2009)
We would like the Road Safety Council to fund and support legislation to change all roads that are designated and mapped as part of the Perth Bicycle Network to be clearly marked with on-road signage and have a maximum speed of 30 kmh for cars.
Safe road users
All road users need to understand the rules that govern the use of public space. People riding bicycles suffer daily high risk situations caused by a lack of understanding by car users. For instance many car drivers do not know that it is legal for cyclists to ride two abreast, and as a result some car drivers engage in aggressive behaviour in an attempt to squeeze cyclists when they use their allocated road space. We need to improve the quality and skills of car drivers to make the roads safer for people riding bicycles.
To help drivers acting responsibility on the roads, the holding a driver’s licence has to be positioned as a privilege. We suggest these measures as a starting point:
- Drivers must re-sit a written test every time their licence is renewed to ensure they know all the current traffic rules. Drivers who lose their licence must re-enter the system in the same manner as a novice driver so they can benefit from all aspects of driver training (and restrictions) that form part of getting a licence.
- Driving a vehicle in a manner that causes harm to others should be treated as assault.
- School children to be educated as road users, starting at primary school with pedestrian skills, followed by cycling skills. Riding a bicycle is the best way to gain an understanding of road conditions and road users.
- Vehicle and third party property and personal insurance to be attached to the driving licence and not the vehicle.
Using a bicycle on West Australian roads is currently a dangerous way to get to work. By making a network of selected roads safer, legislating passing distance and education car drivers the Road Safety Council can improve the “Towards Zero” program and make it relevant for vulnerable road users.
References
Australian_Transport_Safety_Bureau. (2006). Death of cyclists due to road crashes. Canberra: Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
Austroads, & MacColl, F. (2010). The Australian National Cycling Strategy 2011 – 2016. Sydney: Austroads.
Bassett, D., Pucher, J., Buehler, R., Thompson, D., & Crouter, S. (2008). Walking, cycling and obesity rates in Europe, North America and Australia. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 5, 795-814.
Batini, C. (2010). Park N Ride Research. Perth: Transperth.
Baumann, A., & Rissel, C. (2009). Cycling and health: an opportunity for positive change? [Editorial]. Medical Journal of Australia, 190(7).
Castelli, D. M., Hillmann, C. H., Buck, S. M., & Erwin, H. E. (2007). Physical Fitness and Academic Achievment in Third- and Fifth-Grade Students. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 29, 239-252.
Craft, L., & Perna, F. (2004). The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically Depressed. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 6(3), 104-111.
Department_of_Transport. (2010). Drive Safe.
Elvik, R., & Mysen, A. B. (1999). Incomplete accident reporting: Meta-analysis of studies made in 13 countries. Transportation Research Record, 133-140.
Fitzgibbons, A., & Hand, T. (2009). Economic Feasibility Assessment of the Active Transport Policy. Brisbane: Marsden, Jacob Associates.
Grundy, C. (2009). Effect of 20 mph traffic speed zones on road injuries in London, 1986-2006: controlled interrupted time series analysis. British Medical Journal, 339.
Henley, G., & Harrison, J. E. (2009). Serious injury due to land transport accidents, Australia 2006-2007. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Jacobsen, P. (2003). Safety in numbers: more walkers and bicyclists, safer walking and bicycling. Injury Prevention, 9(3), 205-209.
Jacobsen, P., Racioppi, F., & Rutter, H. (2009). Who owns the roads? How motorised traffic discourages walking and bicycling. Injury Prevention, 15(6), 362-363.
Oxley, J. (2010). Improving Pedestrian Safety. West Australia: Curtin University.
Schramm, A., Rakotonirainy, A., & Haworth, N. (2010). The role of traffic violations in police reported bicycle crashes in Queensland. Journal of the Australasian College of Road Safety, 21(3), 61 – 67.
Yang, L., Sahlqvist, S., McMinn, A., Griffin, S. J., & Ogilvie, D. (2010). Interventions to promote cycling: systematic review. BMJ, 341.
[1] 14.6% of all road users admitted to hospitals as a result of road vehicle crashes in Australia in 2006-7 were cyclists. Serious injuries for cyclists increased by 47% from 2002 to 2007 (Henley & Harrison, 2009)
[2] Car use in European countries is about 40% to 60% of all trips, whilst in Australia it is about 90% (Bassett, Pucher, Buehler, Thompson, & Crouter, 2008). Based on figures by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, cycling as a means of getting to work is about 1.2% to 1.5% of total trips to work, with a possible slight decline in the last few years (depending on jurisdiction).
[3] Netherlands has about one cycling fatality per 100 million km travelled vs. USA with five cycling fatalities per 100 million km travelled.
[4] To counter the common belief that cyclists are risk takers and thus “deserve” to have crashes, Schramm (2010) shows that traffic violations are recorded against 85.4% of drivers that were at fault in bicycle-motor vehicle crashes.
[5] European Health ministers suggest that the obesity epidemic is caused by physical inactivity (along with unhealthy diet). They see the obesity epidemic “one of the most serious challenges to public health in Europe” (Jacobsen, et al., 2009)
[6] School Children that are aerobically fit and have a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) do better in reading and mathematics (Castelli, Hillmann, Buck, & Erwin, 2007)
[7] Based on a meta-analysis of 37 studies dealing with depression and exercise, Craft concluded that “exercise is a behavioural intervention that has shown great promise in alleviating symptoms of depression (Craft & Perna, 2004)
[8] A Queensland study into the economic benefits of active transport has found that 42% of survey respondents felt a safer environment would encourage more cycling (Fitzgibbons & Hand, 2009)
[9] “It is clear that road safety remains a significant concern for many people and more must be done to address these concerns and make people feel safe getting on their bikes” (Austroads & MacColl, 2010)
[10] “At collision speeds above 35 km/h, the probability that a pedestrian [or cyclist} will be fatally injured rises rapidly, with death almost certain at impact speeds of around 55 km/h or higher” (Oxley, 2010)
“His death reminds us that using a bicycle on West Australian roads is a dangerous way to go to work.”
Do you really want to perpetuate the idea that cycling is dangerous? We must be careful with our choice of language when advocating for safer environments for cycling. It is not cycling which is dangerous but the environment in which we cycle, and that is an important distinction.
On the positive side, it is great that you draw attention to the fallacy of safer cars. Many safety improvements to cars have been counterproductive, leading to a false sense of efficacy among drivers and ultimately reducing safety to other road users. The emphasis of road safety must switch from vulnerable road users to drivers, as it is motorised traffic which presents the greatest danger on our roads.
“….using a bicycle on West Australian roads is a dangerous way to go to work.”
Yeah. When I read that sentence I got shivers down my spine. Not the best thought when I’m cycling down a busy road on the way home tonight.
@Jonathan I whole heartedly agree. While its true that cycling in europe is 3 times safer than cycling in Aus, cycling is not dangerous. Framing the issue like this does more harm than good.
Put it this way, the risk of death from firearms in Aus is 10 times greater than cycling. Skin cancer is 400 times more likely, and obesity worse still.
Even though cycling is a very safe way to get to work, it could still be safer. 80% of cycling fatalities are the result of being hit by motor vehicles, most of which are cyclists being hit from behind from motor vehicles in the same lane.
More driver ed yes, but more separation of dangerous motor vehicles.
I don’t really see how “A Metre Matters” will help. How will it be policed? Nothing is done now even though some cyclists have had video evidence.
Most drivers probably already feel they are leaving a metre when passing in the same lane and squeezing us into the gutter.
There is a significant amount of turbulence generated from a passing bus or truck, travelling at speed. A metre isn’t a lot of room in these circumstances.
With A Metre Matters, we are leaving it up to motorists to judge what they feel is a metre. A complete change of lane is matter of fact, there is no guess work.
The biggest problem is lack of enforcement of the current road rules and until that changes nothing else will change.
Graeme
Perhaps there is something “lost in translation” here?
The point the article is trying to make is that there are things the Road Safety Council can do to make riding a bicycle to work less dangerous. This is done by creating a safer environment, and better educating drivers of cars.
Separating traffic based on speed is important, but not practical on every road.
We are campaigning for an extended network of Principal Shared Paths as well, but here, in this instance, we are addressing the Road Safety Council. They are not in charge of funding roads.
Got a long way to go….
Also in the West Australian
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/national/8364083/study-blames-drivers-for-bike-crashes/
Is a 30kph a realistic objective?
I suggest that the BTA Board and members, try this out for yourself. Pick a variety of PBN routes covering the range of road types from the calmest to the busier roads on the Network. Drive down them consitantly at 30kph, and do so whether there are bikes in sight or not.
Then ask yourself how achievable it is to do. Ask yourself about the temptation you experienced to exceed 30kph, particularly when there were no bikes in sight? Now ask yourself how non bike riding motorists are going to behave!
What speed are the many cyclists that ride greater than 30kph on the flat, downhill or with the breeze behind to do?
I think we need to think these demands through, and see how sensible and realistic they are.
I have been riding my bike everyday to work from South Perth to Subi for about two years now. I would love to feel safer on the road, but as we all know, drivers need to be made more aware of the rules. To clarify, I don’t feel animosity towards drivers, because I am one myself, and I have to admit that even I don’t know the rules and regulations when it comes to bikes on the road. Bicycles are barely mentioned during driving tests and as I from overseas, the only education I got was from a pamphlet in a Fleet Cycle shop.
I would definitely say, education is the key. From a young age and through to adulthood when you get a driver’s license.
More than anything we need the 1 metre passing rule as a matter of priority, I ride to work everyday and I am so tired of ignorant motorists who either by ignorance or deliberation pass me with mere centimetres to spare, I had one this morning pass me as I was entering a roundabout with a single lane entry, I even moved out to take the lane and he still overtook and barged across me making me have readjust my line through the roundabout, he was so close I banged on the side of his car which then just annoyed him, he had zero idea of the danger he had put me in.
With regards to the speed limit of 30kph you have to be kidding, no driver will ever go this slow especially if there are few bikes around, its really not practical, all we need is to mandate the safe passing rules and enforce it and educate, educate, educate, drivers are extremely ignorant of the rules of the road concerning cyclists and believe they have the right to punish us for trangressing their interpretation of the rules, the rest just see us as vermin……
I don’t agree with speed reduction, you just have to look at any School Zone to see just how ignorant drivers really are.
There needs to be better rules put in place and bigger fines for those that choose to be ignorant.
I feel really unsafe riding my bike on the Principal Shared Paths as I have to contend with sport cyclists in lycra going 40km/hr+. I don’t know what is worse – riding on the road with the cars or sharing the PSP’s with these guys. It is a sad state of affairs. Western Australia is all about Cycle Bleak (yes, you in lycra who do not help the cause of riding a bike to become mainstream) than Cycle Chic.
Well I’m just going to say this even though it’ll anger motorists even more.
Australian Drivers are the worst I have ever seen! I have cycled, driven and motorbiked in around 18 countries including S.America and Asia but am blown away by how bad they are here. I’d feel safer in India! Well, maybe not but… People here don’t necessarily drive excessively fast or erratically but most just have no idea how to drive defensively and with respect to other drivers. Most can’t even park properly even though bays here are way bigger than most other countries. I’ve sat in many cars with friends driving telling me about how bad everyone else is at driving and how good they are whilst they tailgate the person in front. Today I saw a car 50m in front mount the kerb even on a straight road even though the road is separated by parking bays and a cycle lane. So he was probably drunk, asleep or texting but if I was 50m further on I would now be another statistic. Unbelievable. Not keeping left unless overtaking is another massive inability of Perth motorists, especially on freeways. Then when they do pass a cyclist, they don’t even bother to fully change lane even when the road’s empty! They all think that everyone else is or should drive a car and have no time for truckies, cyclists, motorbikes, pedestrians etc… And with cyclists they forget that if we make a mistake, we die. If they make a mistake, we die. They sit in their car completely unscathed and sometimes even none the wiser. I think a massive campaign to improve driving common sense is required, including proper policing not of people speeding on an empty freeway to increase revenue, but things like keeping left unless overtaking, tailgating, braking to late, squeezing through gaps etc. Those are the dangerous activities