“Regrettably, safety remains the main barrier to people riding a bike. WA bike riders tell us that cars passing too close remains a significant concern, despite the introduction of the laws in 2017,” Bradshaw told The West Australian. Other pieces like this op-ed weighed in on the subject.
Bradshaw said Minister Michael was receptive to the ideas including a potential education campaign on the safe passing law, along with better signage on high traffic roads where cyclists frequently ride like Welshpool Road East.
To improve road safety and road culture, WestCycle is advocating for:
• Including Safe Passing Laws in standard driver education and training (it currently isn’t included!).
• Conducting an advertising awareness campaign about the Safe Passing Laws and road courtesy for people on bikes.
• Stronger enforcement of Safe Passing Laws.
• Adopting a presumption of fault where the driver will be liable for a crash with a bike rider unless they can prove the bike rider was at fault.
• Funding a pilot program to install safe passing signage on speed signs in areas where bike riders are frequently on the road, eg; West Coast Highway, Mounts Bay Road, The Esplanade, Welshpool Road etc. to improve awareness about the laws and may help make bike riders using these popular routes safer immediately.
• Undertaking a research project to evaluate the Safe Passing Laws in collaboration with the Centre for Road Safety Research.
Our recent post about it also generated some very lively discussion! Did you have your say?…
Find out more about WestCycle advocacy here.
