Sharing the Road: Interaction of Bicycles and Motor Vehicles
	"Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles."
	By Don Cook, Transportation Engineer, City of Saskatoon and
	Darrell Noakes, CAN-BIKE National Examiner, Borealis Outdoor Adventure
	Abstract:
	According to surveys, fear for personal safety is the primary reason given for not riding a bicycle. Yet, objectively, a typical cyclist is twice as likely to die as a pedestrian than as a cyclist, seven times more likely to be killed in a fall at home or at work, 10 times more likely to perish in a car crash, and 146 times more likely to die of a heart attack. Cyclists who adopt safe behaviours are nearly six times less likely to be injured or killed in a crash than average cyclists.
	Skill is the greatest factor involved in cyclist safety. Car-bike collisions account for about 12 percent of cycling crashes, and only 10 percent among children. As with other vehicle operators, collision risks are greatest at intersections and other situations involving turning and crossing manoeuvres. Contrary to popular belief, collisions from overtaking motor vehicles are among the least sources of risk. Most collisions result from cyclists disobeying traffic rules or riding unpredictably, although motorists are more likely to be at fault in collisions with adult cyclists. Young children and teenagers usually cause their own collisions. The vast majority of car-bike collisions are preventable or avoidable if cyclists have learned a few easily acquired techniques and skills.
	There are five basic principles of cycling in traffic. All drivers, regardless of the type of vehicle they drive, follow the same basic traffic principles. The size and speed of their vehicles may influence how they apply these principles, but the reason is the same: to reduce conflicts between road users. Understanding and following these five basic principles enables cyclists to ride safely in most traffic situations.
	Motorist understanding of cyclist behaviour can influence cooperation on the roadway.
	Roadway design has a greater influence on cyclist safety than developing segregated bicycle facilities. Cyclists travelling on bicycle paths are 2.6 times more likely to be injured in crashes than cyclists riding on streets and highways. Roadways can be designed to permit sharing the road between cyclists and motorists, allowing appropriate passing distances. Even roadways too narrow to share permit cooperation among cyclists and motorists, in most cases having little or no impact on rates of travel.