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HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-12-070 - Review of Coroner's Report on Cycling DeathsREPORT TO:Council DATE OF MEETING: August 27, 2012 SUBMITTED BY: City of Kitchener Cycling Advisory Committee PREPARED BY: Josh Joseph, Transportation Demand Management Coordinator, 519-741-3400 ext. 3167 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All Wards DATE OF REPORT: August 2, 2012 REPORT NO.: INS-12-070 SUBJECT: REVIEW OF CORONER’S REPORT ON CYCLING DEATHS IN ONTARIO FROM JANUARY 1, 2006 TO DECEMBER 31, 2010 RECOMMENDATION: That the recommendations contained in the report from the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario titled, ‘ Cycling Death Review: A Review of All Accidental Cycling Deaths in be endorsed; and, Ontario from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2010’ That correspondence be sent to the Province of Ontario requesting action on the report’s recommendations, beginning with creation of an Ontario Cycling Plan to guide the development of policy, legislation and regulations and the commitment of infrastructure funding to support cycling in Ontario; and, That the City of Kitchener take a leadership role by moving forward with implementation of those of the report’s recommendations that relate directly to municipalities, including: Adoption of a “complete streets” approach – focused on the safety of all road users - to guide the redevelopment of existing communities and the design of new communities throughout Ontario. A comprehensive review of city bylaws with respect to cycling and cyclists to ensure they are consistent, understandable and easily promoted and enforced. Review of local data related to cycling injuries and fatalities to identify and address opportunities for targeted education, public safety interventions and enforcement activities; and further, That correspondence be sent to the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and the regional lower-tier municipalities encouraging the Municipalities to undertake similar actions to endorse the report’s recommendations. BACKGROUND: TheCycling Death Review: A Review of All Accidental Cycling Deaths in Ontario from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2010by the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario examined 129 í ó ï cyclist fatalities, all of which were deemed preventable. The Review calls for 14 recommendations to be implemented by various provincial agencies in order to create a safer environment for cyclists in Ontario. In June 2012, the Kitchener Cycling Advisory Committee passed a resolution to support the recommendations identified in the review and to seek Council’s expression of support for these recommendations through appropriate correspondence with the Province of Ontario. REPORT: An increasing number of Ontarians are incorporating cycling into their daily lives, whether for recreation, sport, or commuting purposes. Cycling offers a variety of benefits to individuals, communities, and the environment, including healthier and active lifestyles, reduced traffic congestion and parking demand, and improved air quality. Many municipalities across Ontario understand these benefits and have shown a commitment to supporting commuter and recreational cycling. st The City of Kitchener recently approved funding for the Cycling Master Plan for the 21 Century which aims to attract new cyclists, strengthen bicycle policies, create a bikeway network on City streets, increase bicycle parking, expand programs to support bicycling, increase funding for bicycle facilities, and create a sustainable culture of cycling development. Despite the many benefits of cycling and the growing municipal interest in supporting this sustainable mode of transportation, cyclists are still quite vulnerable in Ontario. The Review cites a European study which found that cyclists are eight times more likely to suffer a fatal injury per kilometer of road travelled as compared to occupants of a motor vehicle. Since 2006, there have been 5 fatal collisions involving cyclists in Waterloo Region. The most recent cycling fatality occurred in Wellesley Township, just one month before the Review was released. With the recent cycling tragedy in mind, and upon discussing the recommendations as outlined in the Review, the City of Kitchener Cycling Advisory Committee passed the following resolution: That the City of Kitchener Cycling Advisory Committee requests Council’s support to advocate for immediate action in implementing the recommendations in the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario’s report entitled Cycling Death Review: A Review of All Accidental Cycling Deaths in Ontario from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2010. The Review’s executive summary, listed below, provides insight on the cycling deaths that have stst occurred in Ontario for the period beginning January 1, 2006 and ending December 31, 2010. There were 129 deaths examined in this Cycling Death Review. 86% (111 of 129) of those killed while cycling were male. Approximately two-thirds (84 of 129; 65%), of fatal cycling collisions took place in an urban environment, with the other one-third (45 of 129; 35%) occurring in a rural setting. The peak age for cycling deaths was 45-54 years; over half of cycling fatalities (66 of 129; 51%) occurred in persons aged 45 and older. Children represented a smaller, but significant, portion of cycling deaths. A total of 19 deaths (15%) occurred in those aged 19 and under; 8 of those (6%) were in children aged 14 or under. Numbers of cycling fatalities in Ontario declined each year from 2006 (41) to 2009 (14), but rose again (to 25) in 2010. The peak months for cycling fatalities were July, August and September (46%). A total of 96 of the 129 deaths (74%) occurred in the Spring and Summer months. í ó î The vast majority of cycling deaths occurred during clear weather, on dry roads, with good visibility. More than half (69 of 129; 53%), of the fatal cycling collisions occurred in daylight conditions. The peak time for fatal collisions (25 of 129; 19%) occurred between 8:00 pm and 10:00 pm. Only 27% (35 of 129) of those who died as the result of a cycling collision were wearing a helmet. Despite mandatory legislation, only 6.25% (1 of 16) of cyclists under the age of 18 who died were wearing a helmet. Those cyclists whose cause of death included a head injury were three times less likely to be wearing a helmet than those who died of other types of injuries. In cases where the type of cycling activity was known, 63% of fatal collisions occurred during recreational activities, and 31% during commuting. The balance represented sport cycling activities, either solo or in a group setting. In 44 cases, contributing factors on the part of the cyclist alone were identified. In 33 cases, contributing factors on the part of the driver of a vehicle alone were identified. In 48 cases, contributing factors were identified on the part of both the cyclist and the driver. In three cases, the circumstances of the collision were unclear. The Review identified 14 recommendations that would greatly improve safety for cyclists in Ontario. The recommendations, listed below, are divided into four categories including Infrastructure, Education, Legislation, and Enforcement. Recommendations – Infrastructure 1. To the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing A “complete streets” approach should be adopted to guide the redevelopment of existing communities and the creation of new communities throughout Ontario. Such an approach would require that any (re-)development give consideration to enhancing safety for all road users, and should include: Creation of cycling networks (incorporating strategies such as connected cycling lanes, separated bike lanes, bike paths and other models appropriate to the community.) Designation of community safety zones in residential areas, with reduced posted maximum speeds and increased fines for speeding. 2. To the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing An Ontario Cycling Plan should be developed, building upon the 1992 Provincial Bicycle Policy. This Plan would establish a vision for cycling in Ontario, and would guide the development of policy, legislation and regulations and commitment of necessary infrastructure funding pertaining to cycling in Ontario. This plan should be publicly available. 3. To the Ministry of Transportation The Ministry of Transportation should identify the development of paved shoulders on provincial highways as a high priority initiative. Recommendations – Education í ó í 4. To the Ministry of Transportation A comprehensive public education program should be developed to promote safer sharing of the road by all users. This initiative should be facilitated by the Ministry of Transportation, in collaboration with key stakeholder groups, including but not limited to, the Canadian Automobile Association, Share the Road Cycling Coalition, local cycling organizations and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police. Such a program should include: a targeted public awareness campaign, in the spring/summer months, with key messages around cycling safety. This could include changes arising from other recommendations from this Review (such as changes to the Highway Traffic Act). education targeted at professional truck drivers regarding awareness and avoidance of cycling dangers. education / regulation directed towards Beginning Driver Education (BDE) courses and driving instructors to include sharing the road and bicycle safety. This should be introduced in both classroom curricula and on-road training. public safety campaigns around the dangers of distracted and impaired cycling (headphone use; carrying unsafe loads; cycling while under the influence of drugs or alcohol). 5. To the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Consumer Services It should be a requirement that important bicycle safety information (such as rules of the road and helmet information) be provided to purchasers of any new or used bicycle. Such information could be included in a “hang tag” information card attached to the handlebar of every bicycle at the time of purchase which would include critical information and a reference to the Ministry of Transportation website and Service Ontario for additional bicycle safety information and publications. 6. To the Ministry of Education Cycling and road safety education should be incorporated into the public school curriculum. This could be done in partnership with organizations and agencies (such as the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) and the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA)) which have a mandate that relates to promotion of physical activity in youth and the enhancement of road safety. 7. To the Ministry of Transportation The Official Driver’s Handbooks (Driver’s Handbook; Truck Handbook; Bus Handbook; Motorcycle Handbook) should be updated to provide expanded information around sharing the road with cyclists, and include cycling-related scenarios in driver examinations. Recommendations – Legislation 8. To the Ministry of Transportation A comprehensive review and revision of the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) should be conducted to ensure that it is consistent and understandable with respect to cycling and cyclists and therefore easier to promote and enforce. í ó ì 9. To the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the City of Toronto A comprehensive review and revision of the Municipal Act, the City of Toronto Act and relevant Municipal ByLaws should be conducted to ensure that they are consistent and understandable with respect to cycling and cyclists and therefore easier to promote and enforce. 10. To the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Consumer Services, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and the Ontario Provincial Police The use of helmets by cyclists of all ages should be promoted and supported. Such a strategy should include: financial incentives, such as removal of tax on bicycle helmets and helmet rebate programs. promotion of helmet use through public awareness campaigns (including campaigns aimed at parents to support current legislation for cyclists under the age of 18). enforcement of existing legislation regarding helmet use in cyclists under the age of 18. 11. To the Ministry of Transportation The Highway Traffic Act should be amended to make helmets mandatory for cyclists of all ages in Ontario. This should occur in conjunction with an evaluation of the impact of mandatory helmet legislation on cycling activity in Ontario. Such an evaluation strategy should be developed and carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and Public Health Ontario. 12. To the Ministry of Transportation The Highway Traffic Act should be amended to include a one (1) meter / three (3) foot passing rule for vehicles when passing cyclists. This change in legislation should be reflected in the Ontario Driver’s Handbook, Beginning Driver Education curricula and the driver’s licence examination process. 13. To Transport Canada Side-guards should be made mandatory for heavy trucks in Canada. In addition, consideration should also be given to requiring additional safety equipment (such as blind spot mirrors and blind spot warning signs) to make cyclists more visible to trucks and decrease the chance of a collision, especially during right-hand turns. Recommendation – Enforcement 14. To the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, the Ontario Provincial Police, and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Municipalities and police services (municipal/regional/provincial) should review local data related to cycling injuries and fatalities in order to identify and address opportunities for targeted education, public safety interventions and enforcement activities. í ó ë The City of Kitchener has shown a strong commitment to supporting and encouraging st recreational and commuter cycling through the adoption of the Cycling Master Plan for the 21 Century. By expressing support for the 14 recommendations as outlined in the Review,the City of Kitchener will be one of the first municipalities in Ontario to highlight the importance prioritizing safety for cyclists both locally and throughout the province. Public policy goals to encourage cycling and reduce automobile use will only be accomplished if cycling is seen as a safe and viable means of transportation. Implementation of the recommendations in the Office of the Chief Coroner’s report will significantly contribute to that end. The Cycling Advisory Committee is committed to working with members of Council toward these goals. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: This Coroner’s report recommendationsalign with the following Community Priorities: Quality of Life: “Work with partners, including all orders of government, to create a culture of safety in our community.” Environment: “...support alternative transportation options that connect our neighbourhoods -- from the suburbs to midtown to downtown -- such as adding more bike lanes, connecting trail systems, and promoting public transit.” Development: “Support walkability, connection and green space. Support transportation alternatives. Plan for safety and community.” By expressing support for the 14 recommendations identified in the Review, the City of Kitchener is highlighting the importance of protecting our most vulnerable road users. Support for the Coroner’s report “complete streets” recommendation contributes to all three strategic priorities and aligns with the City of Kitchener Cycling Master Plan. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: No additional costs to the City of Kitchener. The City of Kitchener Cycling Master Plan aligns with the adoption of a “complete streets” approach as recommended in the Coroner’s report. As such the current budget of $200,000 annually will contribute to address this recommendation. Staff time to review cycling bylaws and local data related to cycling injuries and fatalities will be covered within the FTE allocated to the TDM Coordinator COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The City of Kitchener Cycling Advisory Committee is a citizen-based committee that provides advice to council and staff on the design, development and delivery of bicycle policies, programs and facilities to promote and enhance cycling in the city. The Cycling Advisory Committee will continue to act as a prominent voice in the community for cycling related issues and solutions and will continue to work with members of the public and Council towards these goals. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jim Witmer, Acting Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services Department í ó ê