The province is going to take a look at cycling deaths in the province over the last five years to see what can be done to make cycling safer.
You can find the review announcement here.
Chief coroner Dr. Andrew McCallum said his office is conducting the review as a result of public concern over cycling safety.
It would be interesting to know what specific incidents led to this. While I have no stats to back this up, my impression is that cycling infrastructure and attitudes towards cyclists are improving.
The coroner’s office states between 15 and 20 cyclists die each year on Ontario roads. That is, of course, an unacceptably high number, but it pales in comparison with the number of deaths in other activities. Some cursory research shows 631 traffic fatalities in 2008; 134 drownings in 2004; 36 deaths due to domestic violence in 2010; and 27 boating and 18 ATV deaths in 2008.
In any case, any initiative that will make cycling safer is of course welcome, though don’t be surprised if the recommendations coming from this will place greater restrictions on cyclists, such as making it mandatory for all cyclists to wear a helmet.
We’ll find out in the spring, when a report is due to be released.
I’ll wait to see what the report suggests in the spring before passing judgment. Past similar exercises have put forward both good and bad suggestions, few of which were acted upon. If they suggest expanding helmet legislation, or licensing well that would be counter productive. If they suggest large trucks have guards that may prevent cyclists from falling under trucks. Or advanced stop lines, or other city infrastructure. Perhaps they may suggest expanding the paved shoulders on rural roads, these are suggestions I could get behind.
Of course the real work comes after the report comes out. Cyclists will have to work to make sure any recommendations are acted upon, if we don’t like the recommendations we’ll need to work to make sure they don’t get enacted.
The review will be led by Dr. Dan Cass, Regional Supervising Coroner – Toronto West Region, and will include deaths from 2006 to 2010. The purpose of the review is to identify common factors that may have played a role in the deaths, and where possible, to make recommendations to prevent similar deaths. The review is expected to be completed in spring 2012. A report will be issued at its conclusion.