Proposed legislation entitled the Keeping Ontario’s Roads Safe Act might help to keep bicyclists safer by encouraging drivers to give them more room on the roads. If the act passes, car drivers could be fined up to $1,000 if they hit a bicyclist with an open car door. Drivers would also be required to keep a 1-metre distance between their vehicles and bicycles that they pass whenever possible whether the road is rural or in the city.

On behalf of Joseph Caprara of CBLAW posted in Bicycle Accidents on Friday, November 7, 2014.

Proposed legislation entitled the Keeping Ontario’s Roads Safe Act might help to keep bicyclists safer by encouraging drivers to give them more room on the roads. If the act passes, car drivers could be fined up to $1,000 if they hit a bicyclist with an open car door. Drivers would also be required to keep a 1-metre distance between their vehicles and bicycles that they pass whenever possible whether the road is rural or in the city.

A supporter of the act commented that he was pleased with the legislation because he thinks there have been too many fatal bicycle accidents in recent years. One fatal bike accident in particular resulted in the death of the supporter’s friend. On July 11, 2009, the man was killed after being struck by a hanging roof truss while bicycling along Highway 11 near Washago.

The president of the Barrie/Simcoe Cycling Club, who also supports the act, said that he hopes the new legislation will lead to bicyclists receiving more respect from car drivers. He said that he had personally been hit by car mirrors, eight different times and spoke about the dangers of sharing the road with cars traveling 80 kilometres per hour when the drivers fail to give him enough space.

A bicyclist who has been injured after being struck by a car may be eligible to pursue financial compensation for their injuries. A personal injury lawyer may be able to help with this process by ensuring that a claim for compensation is supported with appropriate evidence of the driver’s liability. Some evidence that could help a bicyclist’s claim may include eyewitness testimony and police reports.

Source: Simcoe.com, “Simcoe County cyclists laud proposed ‘move-over’ law,” Sara Carson, Oct. 31, 2014