AusCycling joins calls for Government to take lead on road safety

AusCycling has joined the Amy Gillett Foundation and six other cycling organisations in calling on the Australian Government to take leadership in making roads safer for cyclists and other vulnerable road users.

Last week, AusCycling co-sponsored a submission to the Australian Parliament’s Inquiry into Road Safety, outlining 14 recommendations to reduce the unacceptable number of deaths and injuries on Australian roads.

“In the 12-month period leading up to June of 2021, there were 1,142 deaths on Australian roads, including 32 cyclist deaths,” the organisations said in their submission.

“Over the past decade, cyclist deaths have increased by over 45% and serious injuries have increased by over 36%. This unwavering high death toll and rate of serious injury are symptomatic of a decade’s worth of strategies and policies that have failed to keep cyclists safe,” read the submission.

The chief recommendation was for investment in infrastructure that makes bike riding safe.

“There is great scope for the Australian Government to play a much stronger leadership role in promoting and encouraging safe infrastructure for all types of bike riders,” the submission stated. “One impactful approach would be to improve … policies to ensure the safety of all road users is considered as part of any federally funded road construction or upgrade.”

Other recommendations included:

• improved enforcement of minimum passing distance laws;
• a national program to support delivery riders; and
• greater coordination in data collection protocols better understand the causes of crashes.

“Being safe on the road is important to everyone who rides a bike. AusCycling is proud to co-sponsor this submission with the Amy Gillett Foundation on some of the key factors that will improve road safety in this nation,” said Nick Hannan, Executive General Manager, Government Strategy at AusCycling.

AusCycling made a supplementary submission asking the Committee to find ways to help children access learn-to-ride school programs.

The submission compared riding a bike with swimming — both being essential life skills for Australian children.

“Learning to ride a bike is also often the first experience children have of the road system, road rules and interacting with other traffic. A formal learn-to-ride program is an important step in setting up our children for a lifetime as safe road users. We already take this approach with water safety … Road safety should be treated in the same manner,” AusCycling said in its submission.

AusCycling’s Ride Nation Schools program provides school students with skills and safety training on bicycles. However, many children cannot easily access learn-to-ride programs due to cost, crowded schedules and a lack of bikes.

You can download the submissions here:

• Joint Submission
• Supplementary Submission