Cycling safety

Minimum passing distance

1. What is the purpose of the rule?

This rule better protects bicycle riders from the risk of crash when they are being passed by a car.

Leaving a safe passing distance better protects riders, including in situations when they may not realise a vehicle is approaching them from behind.

2. What are the key features of the rule?

The rule requires drivers of a motor vehicle to leave a minimum distance when passing bicycle riders.

The rule requires all drivers to leave at least 1 metre between the motor vehicle and a bicycle rider when passing a bicycle rider on a road with a speed limit of 60km/h and below. Drivers must leave at least 1.5m when they pass a bicycle rider on a road with a speed limit above 60km/h.

Drivers need to comply whenever they drive past a bicycle rider on a road in NSW.

3. What is the penalty for drivers not giving the minimum passing distance?

Drivers who do not comply with the rule will receive a $349 fine and two demerit points.

This offence attracts a maximum court fine of $2200.

This is the same as current penalties for overtaking a vehicle without leaving a sufficient distance.

4. What do drivers need to do?

The rule requires all drivers and motorcycle riders to leave at least a metre when passing a bicycle rider – and at least a metre and a half on higher speed roads.

If drivers cannot pass the bicycle rider safely, they should slow down and wait until the next safe opportunity to do so.

All drivers are required to leave a safe distance when passing or overtaking any vehicle. For heavy vehicles, such as trucks and buses, in some situations a safe distance may be more than the 1m or 1.5m minimum. Therefore, drivers need to provide bicycle riders with more space than the minimum passing distance when required.

To allow drivers the minimum distance required, some exemptions to the road rules apply, such as being allowed to cross centre lines when completing the manoeuvre. These exemptions only apply if the driver has a clear view of any approaching traffic and it is safe to pass the bicycle rider.

5. Which road rule exemptions apply in order to leave a one to 1.5 metre gap?

Drivers will be exempt from the following rules, as long as they have a clear view of approaching traffic and it is safe to pass the bicycle rider to comply with the minimum passing distance rule:

Keep to the left of the centre of the road (two-way road with no dividing line)

Keep to the left of the centre of a dividing line - broken and unbroken lines

Keep off a flat dividing strip i.e. one that is at the same level as the road

Keep off a flat painted island

Driving within a single marked lane or line of traffic, including at roundabouts

Moving from one marked lane to another across a continuous line separating the lanes.

6. What were the outcomes of the two-year trial of the rule?

Transport for NSW (Centre for Road Safety) commissioned an evaluation of the trial to assess its effect on bicycle rider and driver safety, and implementation issues.

Overall, the findings suggest that the trial has led to improved cyclist safety. Compared to the pre-rule trend, there was an estimated 15 per cent reduction in casualty crashes indicative of non-rule compliance in the 10 months after the trial began.

Observed compliance with the rule was generally high, and both drivers and cyclists felt compliance increased after introduction of the rule. Surveys showed that 81 per cent of bicycle riders and 69 per cent of drivers supported the rule.

The trial improved both driver and cyclist awareness of the rule. Driver awareness of the exemptions also improved, but is still relatively low.

There was no clear evidence of negative unintended outcomes of the trial, despite initial concerns over the exemption provision for drivers.

Read a summary of the evaluation in the Trial of Minimum Passing Distance Rule for drivers passing cyclists (PDF, 276Kb).

7. How will the community be informed of the rule?

The Go Together community education campaign provides guidance for drivers and riders, including road rule exemptions that will assist drivers to give the minimum passing distance.

8. What about bicycle riders safely passing pedestrians on shared paths?

The minimum passing distance rule only applies to drivers of a motor vehicle. However, an advisory passing distance applies to bicycle riders passing pedestrians. This is a safety advisory recommendation only, not a road rule change.

Transport for NSW recommends bicycle riders leave at least one metre when passing pedestrians on shared paths, when it is safe and practical to do so.

If it is not safe to provide the metre distance when passing, bicycle riders should continue to ride slowly and give way to pedestrians.

The road rules already require bicycle riders to give way to pedestrians on shared paths and keep to the left of any oncoming bicycle rider or pedestrian when riding on a shared path or separated path.

9. How do I give one metre of space if a bicycle rider is travelling in the middle of the road?

Under the NSW Road Rules 2014, bicycle riders are entitled to use a full lane when riding on the road and are allowed to ride two abreast in one lane.

If bicycle riders are taking up a full lane, motorists need to overtake as they would any other vehicle. This means waiting for a safe opportunity to pass.

10. Are bicycle riders permitted to ride two abreast in the same lane on a road?

Yes. Under the road rules, bicycle riders are permitted to ride alongside one other rider who is travelling in the same marked lane. Riders are also allowed to ride two abreast in the same direction of travel on roads without marked lanes.

However, when riding two abreast, riders must travel within 1.5 metres of the other rider. This means that riders should ride as close together as safe to do so.

11. Do bicycle riders need to give parked cars 1 metre when riding past them?

No. The minimum passing distance rules only apply to drivers of a motor vehicle when they are driving past a bicycle rider. There will be no requirement for bicycle riders to leave a metre when riding past a parked vehicle.

However, bicycle riders should always take care when riding past parked vehicles to leave sufficient room to avoid a collision.

Drivers are reminded to look for bicycle riders before opening their doors.

Penalties and enforcement

1. What offences have increased penalties for bicycle riders?

From 1 March 2016, penalties increased for categories of offences committed by bicycle riders that carry high road safety risk. These increases deter unsafe behaviour and bring penalties for those high risks in line with motorists. These categories are:

Riding a bicycle without wearing an approved bicycle helmet

Riding through a red traffic light

Riding furiously, recklessly or negligently

Not stopping at children/pedestrian crossings

Riding a bicycle that is being towed by a motor vehicle

The changes mean that bicycle riders receive similar penalties as motor vehicle drivers receive for high risk behaviours. In deciding to better align this small number of penalties with those for other vehicle operators, we considered the road safety risk to all road users created by these unsafe behaviours. This includes the risk to the bicycle rider themselves (e.g. not wearing a helmet) and the risk to pedestrians (e.g. not stopping at pedestrian or children’s crossings).

In some instances, there are even serious risks to drivers, who are unlikely to be injured in crashes with bicycle riders but could have to live with the stress and emotional impact of being in a serious or even fatal crash with a bicycle rider through no fault of their own (e.g. a rider does not stop at a red light.)

2. Why did fines increase by such a large percentage?

The penalty levels for bicycle riders for road rules offences increased so that the fine levels better reflect the road safety risk they pose for bicycle riders and other road users.

The review of penalties for bicycle riders also considered the relative fine levels across the other Australian jurisdictions.

For offences with serious road safety risk, such as failing to stop at red traffic light, the penalty changes will mean that bicycle riders receive the same penalties as motor vehicle drivers for high risk behaviours.

3. Why is it compulsory for bicycle riders to wear helmets in NSW?

Under rule 256 of the NSW Road Rules 2014 it is compulsory for a bicycle rider to wear an approved bicycle helmet in NSW. This law is based on known safety benefits, particularly in relation to preventing traumatic brain injury which may result from a bicycle fall or crash. Research shows that helmets reduce head injuries by up to 74 per cent in crashes with motor vehicles.

In a crash, bicycle riders do not benefit from vehicle safety features afforded to motor vehicle occupants such as seat belts, airbags and greater protection from the body of the vehicle itself. This means bicycle helmets are a key way for bicycle riders to improve their safety.

NSW crash data also shows a clear association between helmet non-use and crash severity. Over the five year period 2009-2013 at least 24 per cent of pedal cycle fatalities, 19 per cent of pedal cycle serious injuries and 15 per cent of all pedal cycle casualties involved the bicycle rider not wearing a helmet.

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