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Road User or Abuser: Safety Campaign (Australia)

In February 2012 the Victorian Minister for Roads, Terry Mulder, launched a VicRoads' safe cycling campaign, titled 'Road User or Abuser.' The campaign is designed to improve the relationship between Victorian drivers and bike riders and is hosted on a purposely built Facebook page.

In the last five years, an average of 457 bike riders were seriously or fatally injured on Victoria’s roads. VicRoads conducted segmentation research in Victoria to identify and profile groups of bike riders, including the best way to communicate with them. The Road User or Abuser campaign has been developed on the basis of the segmentation research.

The social media awareness campaign, Road User or Abuser, is the first of its kind, using a Facebook page as a forum for bike riders and drivers to come together to discuss their concerns about sharing Victoria's roads.

Minister for Roads Terry Mulder said the Road User or Abuser campaign addressed key road safety issues - including a lack of knowledge of cycling related road rules by both bike riders and drivers - and bike riders breaking key road rules when they think it's safe to do so.

"We know many bike riders feel that drivers resent their presence on the roads, and many drivers are unaware of the challenges faced by bike riders, or even realise they are there," Mr Mulder said.

"Eighty-eight per cent of drivers and bike riders agree there needs to be greater mutual respect between road users.

"Eighty-three per cent agree that behaviour on the road is too aggressive and rude compared to our behaviour in other aspects of our lives."

Research findings show that not only are driver and bike rider attitudes toward each other at times negative, so are some of their behaviours.

"While 87 per cent of bike riders and drivers believe bike riders are more vulnerable than drivers on the roads, only 52 per cent believe that drivers actually look out for bike riders," Mr Mulder said.

Dangerous driver behaviour among the most common causes of police reported crashes involving bicycles on Victoria's roads include:

Bike riders also need to do their bit by wearing a helmet, using bicycle lights to make sure they are visible, riding in bicycle lanes where they are provided and stopping at red lights.

"It is important that drivers and bike riders take shared responsibility for staying safe on Victoria's roads. Even though the majority of bike riders know the road rules, according to the research there is a minority who continue to flout the law," Mr Mulder said.

"While most bike riders ride to minimise risk, some see risk taking as acceptable, and may be prepared to break road rules if they think it is safe and they will get to their destination faster."

Mr Mulder said the popularity of cycling has increased dramatically over the past 10 years.

"For bike riders, riding is a means of transport, a form of fitness and a way to keep in touch with friends who are fellow bike riders. But the culture of cycling is relatively young in Victoria, so bike rider and driver behaviour needs to improve to make sure everyone shares the road respectfully," Mr Mulder said.

Mr Mulder said an online community discussion will be held on VicRoads' new Road User or Abuser Facebook page, encouraging bike riders and drivers to discuss their concerns with each other.

"The Road User or Abuser Facebook page provides an excellent opportunity to clear up misconceptions about the road rules and address issues relating to road safety. A simple quiz asks drivers and bike riders to reflect on their own on-road behaviour and for some, the results may be surprising," Mr Mulder said.

The Road User or Abuser campaign will address a key topic each week over six weeks of the campaign, including relationships, rules and tips, visibility, points of view, confessions and conciliation. Any other hot topics identified during the campaign will also be addressed.

All drivers and bike riders are urged to log on to VicRoads' new Road User or Abuser page, take the quiz and start talking about the issues they face when on the road.


Link to Facebook page

www.facebook.com/RoadUserOrAbuser

Campaign video