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Insurer RACQ has called for safer driving around vulnerable road users after it was revealed that road crashes involving cyclists had led to four deaths and 85 injuries since the start of the year.
Steve Spalding, RACQ head of technical and safety policy, said the statistic highlights the vulnerability of bicycle riders, who “will nearly always suffer far greater injuries in a collision with a motor vehicle.”
“The physics of difference doesn’t favour cyclists – and the bigger the vehicle, the worse the disparity,” Spalding said. “Courtesy, sharing, and consideration go a long way in helping make travel on the roads safer for riders. As does complying with the road rules – everyone needs to do their bit.”
Spalding said road users should focus on cyclist safety rather than blame one group or another for the accidents.
“It shouldn’t be about ‘us and them’, or ‘drivers and riders’,” Spalding said. “Some like to ride, others choose to drive, and their reasons for choosing their preferred method of transport shouldn’t have any bearing on the simple necessity of keeping those who’re vulnerable on the road safe.”
