Back in February this year, Bicycle NSW submitted to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Driver Education, Training and Road Safety, and we were one of three cycling advocacy bodies, alongside Australian Cycle Alliance and AGF, who presented evidence directly to the inquiry.
The report from the inquiry is now available to read.
It’s pleasing to see that one of their Recommendations (number 22, page xviii) is that Transport for NSW should “conduct future driver education campaigns with an emphasis on the development and demonstration of safe driving attitudes, which address the following topics:
– Driver and other road user distraction, with particular emphasis on the dangers for vulnerable road users,
– Road sharing and pedestrian, motorcycle, bicycle and heavy vehicle awareness,
– New and poorly understood road rules such as the minimum passing distance rule with bicycles”
We are willing to assist Transport for NSW in these campaigns to ensure the riding public are both informed and assured that wider road users are also educated.
It’s also pleasing to note that they agreed with our recommendation that a more professional approach is needed in Learner driver education.
The Government is required to respond to the Committee’s recommendations within six months of the report being tabled. We will endeavour to bring you more on this promising outcome as plans progress.