Community Action

CAA's Watch for Bikes Campaign Tips for Motorists

CAA is promoting safety between vehicles and bicycles. When you make good decisions while you are driving or cycling, you will keep yourself and everyone else around you safe. Follow the tips below to help make the roads safer for everyone:

• Always be on the lookout for and yield to cyclists and pedestrians, even if they don't have the right-of-way.
• Always obey traffic signals and traffic control signs.
• Be prepared for cyclists and pedestrians to appear unexpectedly at both intersection and non-intersection locations, on both urban and rural roadways.
• Bicycles are vehicles and cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as other road users.
• Cyclists are expected to ride on the right, but they are allowed to use any part of a lane if their safety warrants it, for example, to avoid a pothole, or to avoid being hit by an opening car door.
• Generally, cyclists need a metre on either side of them as a safety zone. Do not pass too close. If the lane is too narrow to share, change lanes to pass.
• Check your blind spot before opening a car door. A cyclist could be there.
• When turning right, check the curb to ensure you do not cut off a cyclist.
• Obey all the traffic rules, including speed limits, especially in places where children might be, such as neighbourhoods, parks, schools, and playgrounds. Give yourself and a cyclist the chance to avoid a collision.
• Remember, children are small and hard to see. Be a safety partner.

(Source MTO)