2017 Protection of Vulnerable Road Users Campaign

Motorists are responsible for adopting safe behaviour around pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. In order to protect these vulnerable road users, they should:

• pay close attention in order to better see motorcyclists
• remain vigilant in the presence of motorcyclists, particularly in the spring, when they aren’t used to motorcycles being back on the road
• keep a safe distance between themselves and motorcyclists 
• keep out of the motorcycle lane; motorcyclists need that lane to travel as safely as possible
• make eye contact with motorcyclists, especially at intersections, which are higher-risk locations 
• develop an understanding of motorcycle movements and manoeuvres (e.g. motorcyclists generally keep to the left of the lane to be more visible, they are not necessarily there because they are planning to turn left) 
• check for cyclists before opening their doors
• keep the minimum required distance when passing a cyclist (1 m in zones of 50 km/h or less, and 1.5 metres in zones of more than 50 km/h) 
• remain attentive at intersections and yield to cyclists on the right and before making a right turn 
• anticipate that cyclists sometimes have to leave the far-right side of the road to avoid debris or obstacles on the roadway 
• avoid honking around cyclists
• expect there to be pedestrians at intersections and in vehicle blind spots 
• slow down and give pedestrians the right of way at intersections, crosswalks and when entering and exiting driveways
• be especially alert near schools and playgrounds, as it is likely that there are child pedestrians nearby
• come to a complete stop at stop lines