Safe Passing Distance for All Road Users

Whereas the Province of British Columbia prioritizes safety measures for vulnerable road users including pedestrians and cyclists, and the Motor Vehicle Act of British Columbia mandates that cyclists must ride on the right hand side of the road, and not on sidewalks unless expressly permitted by local by-law. Faster motor vehicles sharing roads with inherently slower cyclists often result in close passes, accounting for almost one third of the threatening encounters experienced by people on bicycle and almost fifty per cent of incidents in rural areas. Because relatively few roads in B.C. have bike lanes or shoulders, and many do not even have sidewalks, directing cyclists and pedestrians to share the road with high speed motor vehicle traffic poses a potentially fatal risk and a resulting disincentive for active transportation.; And whereas Jurisdictions across North America, including the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador have all enacted safe passing distance legislation designed to protect vulnerable road users by educating and requiring motor vehicle operators to maintain a minimum safe distance when passing more vulnerable road users. Establishing a clear and reasonable distance for safe passing has created a better understanding and expectation around safely sharing roads, in particular in areas that do not have dedicated or separated cycling infrastructure.: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the Province of British Columbia amends the Motor Vehicle Act to better support safe active transportation by requiring drivers to provide 1 metre of space on roads with posted speeds of 50 kmh or less, and 1.5 metres of space on roads with posted speeds in excess of 50 kmh, when passing people cycling or walking; and clarify the obligation of all motorists to establish reasonable distance when passing a cyclist or a pedestrian, as well as definitive guidance on an appropriate minimum distance when doing so.