Motorists should not necessarily be blamed for cyclist crashes as the road type and speed limit could instead be the cause, according to a recent study.

The Queensland University of Technology-led study, by Professor Narelle Haworth, revealed road type and speed limits were more likely to contribute to the cause of a cyclist-and-vehicle crash than cycling behaviour.

A QUT-study revealed about 16 per cent of studies instances did not have the minimum passing distance, which is one metre in Queensland in zones of 60km/h or less and 1.5 metres where the limit is more than 60km/h.. Credit:Darren Pateman

The study furthered the results of previous studies to provide a recommendation of how to improve cyclist safety during overtaking.

Previous studies revealed many bicycle-and-motor vehicle crashes occurred while both were travelling in the same direction and involved rear-end and sideswipe collisions.