Cyclist safety

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Cyclist safety

The cyclist safety campaign is underway. From June 4 to August 26, 2012, police officers will pay special attention to enforcing the highway safety code provisions for cyclists and drivers.

Cyclists and drivers both engage in risky behaviour – it’s a two-way street!

In fact, 50% of the cyclist accidents leading to death or injury are the driver’s fault, and the 50% are the fault of the cyclist.

Road safety – a priority

Campagne Kif-Kif Last year in Montréal, 605 cyclists reported accidents with motor vehicles, which is a slight increase over the year before. In 2011, 4 cyclists lost their lives on the streets of Montréal. The number of serious injuries increased from 26 in 2010 to 32 in 2011, and we had 106 fewer minor injuries than the year before, with a total of 605.

Cyclist safety record – 2009 to 2011

	2009	2010	2011
Number of deaths	3	4	4
Number of serious injuries	40	26	32
Number of minor injuries	690	711	605
TOTAL	733	741	641

The most common causes of cyclist-driver accidents that lead to death or serious injury are:

The cyclist fails to stop at a red light.
The cyclist rides against traffic or does not obey traffic signals.
The driver does not yield passage when turning at an intersection.

Tickets

The increase in the number of tickets issued to cyclists can be explained by the increased number of cyclists in the territory and by the fact that the SPVM has stepped up measures to protect the safety of cyclists by enforcing the highway safety code.

Number of tickets issued by police officers to cyclists

From April 5 to October 31

	2009	2010	2011
Number of tickets	3,335	4,309	6,098

Safe behaviour on the roads

As a cyclist

Come to a complete stop at a red light or stop sign.
Ride in the same direction as the traffic, at the far right side of the road.
Never ride on the sidewalk.
Make sure your bicycle is equipped at all times with mandatory reflectors, a white headlight and a red taillight, for visibility in the dark.

As a driver

Come to a complete stop at a red light or stop sign.
Leave enough room when passing a cyclist.
Yield the right of way to pedestrians and cyclists when turning at an intersection.
Before opening the door of a stopped vehicle, make sure you can do so safely.
When driving off private property to enter the public road, yield the right of way to cyclists riding on the road.

Fines and demerit points for main infractions — Cyclists

Infraction	Total fine *	Demerit points
Failure to stop at a red light	$37	3
Failure to stop at a stop sign	$37	3
Riding on the sidewalk	$37	none
Riding against traffic	$37	none
Riding while wearing headphones	$52	none
Bicycle not equipped with reflectors or a white headlight and red taillight	$37	non

* including fees

Fines and demerit points for main infractions – Drivers

Infraction	Total fine *	Demerit points
Failure to stop at a red light	$154	3
Failure to stop at a stop sign	$154	3
Failure to leave enough room when passing a cyclist	$274	2
Failure to yield the right of way when turning at an intersection	$154	2
Opening the door of a stopped vehicle without ensuring it can be done safely	$52	none