It’s Time to Make Cycling Safer: Ontario’s Doctors
Toronto, August 10, 2011 - The most recent report on
cycling injuries revealed that in 2009, there were 26,000 emergency
department visits and over 1,300 hospitalizations in Ontario. With
increasing interest in cycling across the province, Ontario’s doctors
are urging the provincial government to make cyclists’ safety a
priority.
Dr. Stewart Kennedy, President of the Ontario Medical Association, released a comprehensive and in-depth report, “Enhancing Cycling Safety in Ontario,”
before he cycled through downtown Toronto to raise money for the Heart
and Stroke Foundation’s Big Bike event. The report included a number
recommendations aimed at increasing cyclists’ safety. Among the
recommendations, Ontario’s doctors are calling for:
- The provincial government to develop
policy and programs, including funding, to facilitate safe cycling, and
for municipal governments to redouble their efforts to build
much-needed cycling infrastructure;
- Connected networks
of roads with paved shoulders in rural settings, to allow for the much
needed separation between cyclists and fast-travelling vehicles on
rural roads;
- The Ontario Drivers’ Manual to be revised
to include a comprehensive section on vehicle-bicycle interaction, and
furthermore that the Ontario’s Drive Test include this in the
examination of new drivers;
- Ongoing delivery of
bicycle safety education for young children through such programs as
Can-Bike, and that such training be mandatory for all Ontario primary
school students; and
- Education material for both drivers and cyclists that emphasizes intersection-specific dangers.
A safer environment for cycling is crucial to creating a healthier
population. Ontario’s doctors want to make sure that Ontarians feel
safe when riding their bicycles.
For the complete list of recommendations from “Enhancing Cycling Safety in Ontario” please visit www.oma.org
Quotes
“Two-thirds of Canadians are inactive, putting them at greater
risk of chronic disease. Cycling is a great a way to stay fit and a way
for people of all ages to add essential physical activity to their
daily lives and improve their health.”
Stewart Kennedy, MD, President of the Ontario Medical Association
“The debate about bicycle infrastructure is so often
politically driven, but should really be about the health of the
population and safety of those who choose to cycle. Ontario’s doctors
are committed to working with the province and municipalities to create
a safer Ontario for our cyclists.”
Stewart Kennedy, MD, President of the Ontario Medical Association
Quick Facts
- Annually more than 2,000 cyclists are injured in vehicle-bicycle collisions alone;
- 68
per cent of car-bike collisions happen at intersections and these most
frequently involve children riding off of the sidewalk; and
- In the past five years cycling fatalities from these collisions have averaged 20 per year.
For more information please contact:
OMA Media Relations at (416) 340-2862 or toll-free at 1-800-268-7215 ext. 2862
www.oma.org
@Ontariosdoctors