The City of Toronto has released the Bicycle/Motor Vehicle Collision Study. The study looked at 2,572 car bike collisions that occurred over a two year period, 1997 and 1998. In that time there were 10 cyclists killed and 85 who suffered major injuries as a result of collisions with automobiles. This study analysed the types of collisions that occurred and determined what were contributing factors. It also suggest counter measures that can be taken to reduce the number of collisions and injuries. Some of the counter measures recommended in the study include building more bike lanes and having wider curb lanes to reduce the incidence of the second and third most frequent types of collisions, cyclists being overtaken by cars from behind and motorists opening doors in the path of cyclists (also known as the door prize).

It was two cycling fatalities in 1996 that spurred the Toronto Regional Coroner's Office to conduct an investigation and produce the report on cycling fatalities in 1999: A report on cycling fatalities in Toronto 1986 - 1998. The collision study was conducted to fulfill one of the recommendations of the Coroner's report, Toronto Bicycle/Motor-Vehicle Collision Study (2003)

Collision Type 1: Drive out at controlled intersection (Click the diagram to download a description of the collision type(PDF)

As well, the description of the collision type includes a map with dots indicating where all of the collisions of that type occurred. Click on the diagram above to see the full description of Collision Type 1: Drive out at controlled intersection, which was the most common type of collision. This geographical information can be helpful when designing traffic enforcement campaigns. Looking at the map for Type 6: Motorist Opens Door in Path of Cyclist (PDF) or 'dooring' you can see that most of these type of collisions occur on 5 major east-west routes through downtown. An enforcement and education blitz on these routes could help reduce these kind of collisions.

The report also looked at factors that may have contributed to the collisions. The most commonly cited contributing factor was that the cyclist was riding on the sidewalk immediately prior to the collision. This was a factor in 30% of the collisions. Many people ride on sidewalks because they feel it is safer. This study show that this is not the case and one of the recommendations for countermeasures to solve the problem is education and public awareness. To accomplish this we need enough money in the City's budget for cycling safety and education campaigns.

The release of this report is timely as we head in to the 2004 budget process. It is important that we don't lose sight of the reasons why we need to have the Bike Plan implemented in full and in accordance with its ten year time line. The two primary goals of the Toronto Bike Plan are first to increase the number of trips taken by bike and second to improve safety for cyclists. Work on these two goals has to go hand in hand. One of the main reasons more people don't ride their bikes is that they do not feel safe riding on the roads. The City of Toronto has to take measures that will make cycling safer. The Coroners report recommended that they take these measures; the Collision Study reinforces these recommendations and gives planners data that will enable them to take the appropriate counter measures. It is now up to the City Councillors to budget the money as recommended in the Bike Plan to carry out these measures in order to make cycling safer in the City of Toronto.

Martin Koob
tcc-rep@tbn.ca