Is the National Road Safety Strategy Working for Cyclists?

It seems that the National Road Safety Strategy is not working for cyclists according to Australian Automobile Association report, Benchmarking the Performance of the National Road Safety Strategy released in June 2013.

There is however some positive news in the report for Western Australia from an overall perspective with the state apparently “on track to meet or exceed [National Road Safety Strategy] NRSS target. Reduction in road crash fatalities equal to or greater than the rate required to achieve NRSS target.” Well done to the people in Western Australia for not killing each other at high levels; now how about being respectful and considerate of cyclists too?

Cyclists are in the NRSS Red Zone

However when we look at the analysis from a road user group perspective, the Australia wide the status is Red for cyclists.  Sadly 46 cyclists have died on the Australian roads over the past 12 months compared with 33 deaths over the same period 2012, an increase of 39 per cent.  Why are we standing by and letting this happen? Why are we so angry at cyclists? So angry we need to kill each other?  Cyclists are people too, they are moms and dads, partners, sons and daughters, brothers and sister. Please take care and let everyone come home safely.

It really shouldn’t be hard you know.