The SAAQ and the Ministère des Transports recently announced public consultations to be launched in early 2017 on the theme of road safety.
Vélo Québec has been following the issue of the Highway Safety Code since 1979, and we are constantly concerned that it reflects the reality of cyclists. Since the launch of the latest overhaul in spring 2014, we've been putting forward our views on the contemporary reality of cycling as a means of transport. These efforts and those of all the partners in this file have led to gains: safe distances for overtaking cyclists are now specified in the law, and penalties for impeding have been increased to reflect the seriousness of the danger such an act poses to cyclists.
But much remains to be done to ensure that the Code recognizes the needs of cyclists and adapts to their reality. Starting with the precautionary principle, which asserts that the biggest and fastest users have a greater responsibility towards the most vulnerable.
Numerous other provisions need to be reviewed: the article requiring cyclists to ride on the extreme right-hand side of the roadway, where they are most exposed to debris, potholes and car doors. The article requires bicycles to be fitted with 6 reflectors, some of which are incompatible with the new equipment (e.g. clip-on pedals). Penalties for cycling offences, some of which are worth demerit points for cyclists, creating inequity between those who have a driver's license and those who don't.
For Vélo Québec, the revision of the Highway Safety Code should also recognize that certain rules imposed on motorists need to be adapted to cyclists, without compromising their safety. The possibility of treating stops as yield signs, for example, would make it possible to authorize widespread behavior, while reaffirming pedestrian priority at intersections. Finally, allowing cyclists to use pedestrian lights at intersections would prevent many accidents caused by vehicle blind spots.
In each of the eleven cities where public consultations will be held, Vélo Québec hopes that cyclists will mobilize to voice their needs. We also invite you to share your comments and experiences on the platform that will be put online by the SAAQ on January 9. Vélo Québec's demands to modernize the Highway Safety Code will carry much more weight if citizens support them. Your opinion could have a direct impact on the choices that will be made.
Thank you in advance for your help in advancing the cause of cyclists!
Suzanne Lareau
President and General Manager
