Victoria makes A Metre Matters truly national

AusCycling joins the Amy Gillett Foundation to celebrate an update to Victorian’s road rules which will help make it safe for cyclists and drivers to share the road.

The decision will see Victoria join every other State and Territory in Australia in implementing A Metre Matters road rules.

From Monday 26 April 2021, the updated road rule will require Victorians to leave a minimum of 1-metre distance when passing a cyclist in speed zones 60km/h or lower, and 1.5 metres when passing in speed limits over 60km/h.

This update follows a two-year public education campaign in Victoria, ‘Give Cyclists the Space to Ride Safe’. Every other State and Territory in Australia has previously updated this road rule, with Queensland first introducing a trial of A Metre Matters in 2014.

Victoria is the final State to update this road rule after a national 10-year campaign launched by the Amy Gillett Foundation (AGF) in 2009. The A Metre Matters road rule clarifies the minimum space to give when driving past a person cycling.

“A metre matters because it can save a person’s life, and these road rules will help our community avoid the terrible impact of road trauma. Giving cyclists safe space when you drive helps everyone stay safe, and most importantly it makes cycling easier and more enjoyable for Victorians,” said Mr Kneipp, CEO, Amy Gillett Foundation. “We know safety is a major barrier for people who want to travel by bike in Victoria, and by improving our road rules, by continuing to invest infrastructure and in education, we will see more people choosing to ride and taking the pressure off our network."

From Monday 26 April, the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) will commence a public education campaign to educate Victorians about the change to the road rules. This campaign includes helpful reminders, ‘if it’s not safe to pass, wait’, and ‘drivers, give the space to ride safe’.

Read more at amygillett.org.au/ametrematters-everywhere