Helping drivers keep cyclists safe

Truck and bus drivers have been put in the hot seat to find out how vulnerable cyclists feel on the road.

The drivers were taking part in a Share the Road workshop held in Wigram last week. The session is one of a series run nationwide by Cycling Action Network as part of an award-winning road safety campaign funded by New Zealand Transport Agency. 

Red Bus driver John Knox finds out how cyclists feel at a Share the Road workshop.

Events are also held occasionally for members of the public to make them aware of blind zones around trucks. Share the Road aims to help heavy vehicle drivers and cyclists understand the challenges they both face, with the end game of keeping everyone safer on the road.

At the workshop, drivers and driver trainers took part in an on-road exercise where they climbed on bikes to experience what it’s like to be an unprotected road user around buses and heavy trucks. It also helped them get a better idea of why cyclists ride the way they do.

The Share the Road workshops, which have been supported and endorsed by Christchurch City Council, have received positive feedback from cyclists and drivers and have been further developed based on suggestions from participants.

They are run by qualified and trained facilitators, who are also experienced cyclists.

Cycling Action Network Campaign Manager Richard Barter says the three main messages for cyclists are to control your bike and the situation, ride to be seen and predictable, and choose safe routes.

At the workshops drivers learn to keep plenty of space when following bikes, and to give cyclists a buffer when they’re passing.

Mr Barter says unfortunately this year there have already been six tragic accidents involving trucks and cyclists on New Zealand roads.

“While we cannot eliminate altogether the risk of this happening, through the education and awareness raising exercises we offer at our Share the Road workshops we hope to greatly reduce the risk.”

Since early last year Cycling Action Network has held 51 workshops - including 14 for cyclists and 30 for drivers/trainers  - with a total of 2669 participants.