Share the Road

Issue

Many collisions occur as a result of road users not sharing their space cautiously and courteously with others. The Integrated Road Safety Program’s Shift to a Nicer Gear-Share the Road campaign aims to make Ottawa’s roadways safer for the pedestrians, cyclists and motorists who use them by raising awareness of road safety issues that relate to how road users use the roadways they share with one another. Sharing the road means that pedestrians, cyclists and motorists work together to improve on-road behaviour in terms of courtesy, cooperation and safety. The Shift to a Nicer Gear-Share the Road initiative is just one phase of a larger plan to educate Ottawa’s road users on safe and effective ways to coexist as they travel from one location to another.

Statistics

Of the 14,834 reportable collisions in Ottawa in 2003:

• 1222 drivers made improper turns
• 877 drivers disobeyed traffic controls
• 1959 drivers failed to yield the right-of-way
• 250 drivers passed improperly
• 21 drivers drove the wrong way on a one-way street
• 888 drivers made improper lane changes
• 137 pedestrians were hit by motorists while crossing with the right-of-way
• 66 pedestrians were hit by motorists while crossing without the right-of-way
• 13 cyclists making improper turns were hit by motorists
• 29 cyclists were hit by motorists making improper turns
• 35 cyclists failing to yield the right-of-way were hit by motorists
• 58 drivers failing to yield the right-of-way hit cyclists

Other relevant local information from 2001-2003:

• 83 per cent, or 19 of 23, of fatal head-on collisions occurred on 2-lane rural roadways involving speed, fatigue and improper passing
• 32 per cent, or 2,968 of 9,204, of non-fatal collisions were rear-end collisions
• 58 per cent, or 5,324 of 9,204, of non-fatal collisions occurred at intersections
• Almost twice as many cyclists and pedestrians are injured at intersections compared with other locations
• Three times as many cyclists are killed at intersections as opposed to non-intersections
• 50 per cent more motorist/cyclist conflicts occurred when motorists turned right as opposed to left
• There were three times as many incidences of motorists crashing with cyclists when cyclists were turning left as opposed to right
• Cyclists were three times as likely to be injured, as well as charged with an offence, when turning left as opposed to right
• 50 per cent more motorist/pedestrian conflicts occurred when motorists turned left as opposed to right
• There were double the amount of fatalities when pedestrians crossed without the right-of-way as opposed to crossing with the right-of-way

What is being done?

Share the road campaign

The City of Ottawa has launched a new Integrated Road Safety Program initiative, called Shift to a Nicer Gear-Share the Road. The initiative urges all road users to share their space and be courteous to each other, whether they are walking, cycling or driving. Community partners at a Stakeholder Forum hosted by the Integrated Road Safety Program last fall identified this initiative as a road safety priority.

The campaign’s primary target audience is adult drivers, who allow the rush of their daily lives to win out over common sense when they get behind the wheels. All road users, but particularly the vulnerable i.e. pedestrians and cyclists, are the beneficiaries of the campaign. The Shift to a Nicer Gear-Share the Road message is delivered on road signs, bus boards and car window stickers, as well as in radio Public Service Announcements, community newspaper articles and the City’s Web site.

What works

There are several programs that show promise in reducing injuries and fatalities on our roadway through Share the Road initiatives. A program in Peterborough, Ontario entitled “Safe On Seven” reduced collisions by 10 per cent over a seven-month period. Through a system of public complaints, drivers identified unsafe drivers on the roadways and submitted written complaints to established drop-off locations. The complaints resulted in a formal warning being forwarded to the registered owner of the vehicle. An evaluation that was conducted into the American No-Zone campaign revealed that the use of decals placed on the back of trucks was well absorbed by the public. The focus of the campaign was on increasing car driver awareness around transport trucks. A similar program in Britain entitled THINK turned vehicle decal placement into a contest. The Bumper stickers read: “Think! Don’t Speed” and “THINK! Slow Down.” Motorists who were seen practicing safe driving with the bumper sticker would have their license numbers taken down and submitted to win a prize. The most common outreach for Share the Road programs included: brochures, web sites, videos, merchandise and public service announcements. Driver’s manuals were also seen as an effective means to promote Share the Road messages. Most Share the Road programs promote the same type of safety messages in their outreach material. The most common safety topics addressed included: blind spots, giving trucks extra space, proper passing procedures and stopping distances.

Research indicates that implementing policies on Share the Road initiatives may reduce collisions. A motorist is less likely to collide with a person walking and bicycling if more people walk or bicycle. Policies that increase the number of people walking and bicycling appear to be an effective route to improving the safety of people walking and bicycling. Other research indicates that attention is required for identifying road-crossing sites quickly and accurately, especially for younger children. Road safety training programs for children may need to take into account the development of children's attention. Research studies on area-wide traffic calming (such as speed bumps) in cities also seem to suggest that this intervention may be effective in reducing the number of road traffic accidents.

Key messages

Sharing the road with pedestrians

• Yield to pedestrians at crossings.
• Stay out of crosswalks when waiting at intersections – stopping in crosswalks forces pedestrians into traffic.
• Look for pedestrians when turning, especially on one-way streets. While vehicles may travel in only one direction, pedestrians cross both ways.
• Watch for pedestrians on roads that don't have sidewalks. They should be walking on the shoulder facing oncoming traffic.
• Watch for pedestrians when pulling into driveways, parking lots or any time you have to drive across a sidewalk.
• Be especially careful where children might be walking.

Sharing the road with cyclists

• Bicycles are defined as vehicles under the Highway Traffic Act, so treat them as you would any other vehicle on the road. Cyclists generally ride in the right-most through-lane, about one metre from the curb or parked cars.
• Cyclists can ride on either the paved road, or on paved or unpaved shoulders.
• Cyclists are not obligated to use bicycle lanes or pathways, and are entitled to cycle on all roads in Ottawa except Highways 416, 417 and City Road 174 (to Orléans).
• Cyclists are entitled to ride in the centre of a lane.
• Motorists are prohibited from driving or parking in all bicycle lanes.
• When passing a cyclist, leave a safe distance between your car and the bicycle. Provide extra space when passing when the road surface may be slippery.

Sharing the road with public transit

• Stay out of bus-only lanes, especially during rush hour. Be aware of Transitway entrances too – these are for OC Transpo vehicles only. Vehicles driving on the Transitway can be fined $55.
• Avoid driving in blind spots at the sides and immediate rear of the bus.
• Don't park in bus stops, even if you're just stopping for a minute.
• Make room for buses trying to change lanes. Buses generally travel in the right lane and will quickly return to it.
• Always yield to buses. The delays you cause could be inconveniencing up to 100 people. And, more importantly, “It’s The Law.”
• Buses have to make wide right turns. Don't squeeze by a bus on the right.

Need help?

The following staff may be approached for assistance writing newspaper articles, research articles or undertaking joint initiatives within the Integrated Road Safety Program:

Jerry Thomas, Road Safety Coordinator, jerry.thomas@ottawa.ca

Constable Ian Hayes, Ottawa Police Service, HayesI@ottawapolice.ca

Useful web sites

Integrated Road Safety Program (City of Ottawa)
Transport Canada Road Safety
Ministry of Transportation
No-Zone Campaign
THINK! Road Safety Web Site