CAA has launched a campaign to help drivers and cyclists navigate the road together safely with tips to create better awareness.

 

Heather Mack, Manager of Government and Community Relations for CAA Manitoba says it’s hard to put a number to the incidents that occur between vehicles and bicycles. 

 

She explains why:

“It’s difficult to get the numbers because in some cases you talk to cycling advocates and they’ll say it’s the near misses that are almost as important to know about. It’s dooring , it’s things that wouldn’t necessarily show up on MPI Collision Statistics because there may not be a claim from a car. They’re usually preventable things and we just think it’s an easy fix if we all work together.”

 

Leaving space for cyclists, watching for hand or turn signals, avoiding distracted driving, and opening car doors cautiously to avoid dooring cyclists are tips for everyone to be aware of. 

 

Mac goes on to say that the pandemic has changed how people travel and has given them new perspectives on other modes of transportation.

 

“Experiencing the road in different ways, not always driving, not always cycling, not always walking. You get a better appreciation and can have some empathy for each other, and that’s really what it is. It’s about caring that everybody gets where they need to be safely and just sharing the road because we all need to use it.”

 

 

For more on the CAA campaign, listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon or go to caamanitoba.com.