This Sunday, on the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, Bicycle Network is calling for urgent action to protect people who ride bikes on our roads.
Held on the third Sunday in November annually, the World Day of Remembrance commemorates the millions killed and injured on roads across the world. It’s also a day to thank the emergency services and reflect on the tremendous burden and cost of road fatalities to families, communities and countries.
On 26 October 2005, 10 years after it was first day World Day of Remembrance was adopted by the UN General Assembly as “the appropriate acknowledgement for victims of road traffic crashes and their families”.
When a person riding a bike is killed on our roads, it often attracts significant attention. Beyond the devastating impact for loved ones, every death ripples throughout the entire bike riding community, striking at the core of why we ride.
Every person that dies while riding a bike is one too many.
It is unacceptable that there has been no meaningful reduction in the number bike riding fatalities in the past two decades.
Sadly, it seems like there will be no reduction again in 2018. It’s clear that whatever is being done, isn’t working and isn’t enough. There needs to be immediate intervention.
People who ride bikes will continue to die on our roads unless urgent action is taken by all levels of government to invest in infrastructure, reduce speed, reduce driver distraction and improve safety measures across all heavy vehicles.
Only last week, Bicycle Network mourned the tragic deaths of two bike riders in QLD and WA.
Earlier this year, Bicycle Network released our Fatality Report with 12 key actions, many of which are consistent or complement the National Road Safety Strategy 2011 – 2020 goals of reducing Australia’s annual number of road deaths and serious injuries by at least 30 per cent
Many of the 14 recommendations are consistent with a safe systems approach to improving road safety for all road users and reducing fatalities for people who ride bikes. This includes safe roads, safe speeds, safe vehicles and safe people.
Bicycle Network, with the support of nearly 50,000 members will continue to pressure governments at all levels, across Australia, to implement these recommendations and invest in attractive, connected and accessible places for people to ride.
Before you head out on a ride this weekend, please take a moment to pause, reflect and remember those people who we've lost.
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