Motorist and cyclist mutual respect key to road safety

Motorists and cyclists are being urged to show respect and obey the road rules with a new campaign launched by Hornsby Council.

It's a Two-Way Street was launched this month in Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai and is based on the notion of cyclists and drivers showing mutual respect.

The council introduced the campaign to counter a worrying trend in road rage incidents involving cyclists and is also aimed at people who may be inexperienced in cycling on main roads or in traffic.

It's time for all road users to try to work together to improve casualty statistics

It is being coordinated by The Amy Gillett Foundation, which was set up to reduce the incidence of cyclists being killed or injured after the death of national cyclist Amy Gillett from a collision with a driver.

Both Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai councils are promoting the campaign through posters, ads and on social media.

Hornsby Mayor Steve Russell hopes this initiative will save lives. "There has been plenty of heated discussion between cyclists and drivers about road safety over the last few years and now it's time for all road users to try to work together to improve casualty statistics," he said.

Cool heads must prevail

"Safety is everyone's responsibility and there are behaviours that both types of road users could change to make the road more pleasant and less dangerous." Ku-ring-gai Mayor Jennifer Anderson said drivers needed to slow down and think. "Cyclists have the same right to be on the road as drivers and cool heads must prevail," she said.

The campaign is particularly relevant to this area, with a recent spike in local cyclist casualties leading Roads and Maritime Services to identify cyclists as the number one road safety issue that needs to be addressed in the Hornsby local government area.There were 52 cyclist deaths in the 12 months leading up to March last year, with the 40-49 age group represented heavily.