News release

New Brochure Promotes Bicycle Safety

Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations (Oct. 2000 - March 2014)

SERVICE N.S./MUNICIPAL RELATIONS--New Brochure Promotes Bicycle Safety


With the summer season coming up and more cyclists on the roads, Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations has released a bicycle safety brochure in an effort to reduce collisions involving bicycles.

"Motorists and cyclists both have an equal right to use the roads and both share a responsibility to operate their vehicles safely," said Peter Christie, Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations. "Cyclists will be safer on our roads if everyone observes the same rules."

On average, 125 cyclists in the province are involved in collisions every year and one cyclist is killed.

"Many injuries or fatalities that occur on Nova Scotia's roads could be avoided," said Mr. Christie. "We hope that cyclists and motorists will read this booklet carefully and adopt these safety tips when they're riding and driving."

Following the death of cyclist Corey Mock in Halifax in 2001, Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations joined forces with the cycling community to develop a strategy to improve cyclists' safety. A committee representing cyclists, police, public safety and the government was established to address the issue.

"I think the committee did an excellent job of pulling this project together. They listened to each other, shared opinions on the issue and then wrote the book on bicycle safety," said Paul Arsenault, director of driver and vehicle safety. "If the audiences they represent follow the committee's lead, I believe that cyclist safety will improve."

The committee acknowledged that many motorists do not think of bicycles as vehicles and many cyclists do not observe the rules of the road. Mr. Arsenault noted that the same fines and penalties that apply to motorists also apply to cyclists, upon conviction of an offence.

The bicycle safety brochure is now included with each Driver's Handbook and is available separately from Access Nova Scotia, the Registry of Motor Vehicles, the Ecology Action Centre/TRAX, police departments and the Nova Scotia Safety Council. An electronic version is on-line at www.servicens.ca, in the drivers and vehicles section. It will also be incorporated into the next edition of the Driver's Handbook later this year.