Citizens' Jury submission form - YourSAy
Citizens’ Jury submission form One tricky policy problem. Countless potential solutions. Plenty of stakeholders with ideas about how it should be approached. 35 ordinary South Australians charged with finding solutions to some tricky policy issues. Welcome to South Australia’s second Citizens’ Jury! During September and October 2014, a Citizens’ Jury will be given the opportunity to deliberate and make recommendations on the issue:
Motorists and cyclists will always be using our roads. What things could we trial to ensure they share the roads safely? Please fill in this submission form prior to 5 October 2014. Your submission should be no more than two pages. Clearly outline your point of view and provide examples to supporting your submission. Email your submission to: [email protected]
Details about you: 1. Name Guy Keulemans _______________________________________________________________________
2. Organisation / private citizen _______________________________________________________________________
3. Contact details (include an email and telephone contact) Submission topic: Helmet Laws
While I believe that proper, well designed infrastructure is the number one priority for increasing the number and safety of cyclists on our roads, there is one small, costless change which will have dramatic and positive effects. This is to relax the mandatory helmet laws (MHLs) in SA deried from the Australian Road Rules. This law was forced onto the states in the early 90s (on threat of withholding traffic infrastrcuture funding) without proper scientific study. The immediate effect was reduction in cycling rates (1). The Federal government has since abandoned this policy position, but Australia and New Zealand became the only two countries with (almost) complete country-wide MHLs. Note that even countries with very similar road rules and culture as our own, such as the UK, have not, and will not, mplement MHLs (2). But we don't need to look overseas to see what benefits a relaxation of MHLs will have – the Northern Territory relaxed their MHLs in 1994 two years after their implementation, to allow helmetless riding on footpaths and other non-road areas. Currently, the NT has the highest cycling modal share of any state (beaten only be a few Melbourne inner suburbs) AND the lowest pro rate cycling injury rates Australia-wide (3). This is impressive, given that many cycling conditions in the NT are otherwie similar to other states, and in some ways worse (such as weather and infrastructure). Note that this particular relaxation would also require footpath riding to be fully legalised. I fully support this change also, and it would bring the SA in line with not just the NT but also Queensland, Tasmania and the ACT. Indications from the experience of these states is that it does not cause an increase in pedestriancyclist conflict (4). But it does create a space for older school children and new or inexperienced bike riders to commute safely away from motorized traffic. This is not a legal change that will make helmets illegal – rather, cyclists will be free to choose and there are reasons, scientific or common-sense, for choosing to wear a helmet. Yet, there are many who will cycle more given the freedom to ride helmetless, even if normally do wear helmets. Tthe real benefits are at the macrosocial level; the negative relationships between MHLs and cycling safety have been studied by social scientists and are compelling. MHLs reduce cycling uptake (5), make cycling look dangerous (6), cause bicycle share schemes to fail (7) and may even increase risky behavior around cyclists from motorists (8). In conclusion, the removal or relaxation of the mandatory helmet laws have many advantages and will bring South Australia inline with the Northern Territory and the rest of the world. References: (1) D. L. Robinson (1996) “Head Injuries and Bicycle Helmet Laws” Accident Analysis and Prevention Vol.28, No 4. (2) “Response to e-petition: Please make cycling helmets a legal requirement”, Department for Transport, HM Government. Accessed from: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/48526
(3)”Helmet laws: Northern Territory”. Accessed from: http://www.cyclehelmets.org/1114.html (4) “Teens in traffic: Should teenagers ride on the road? Simon Vincett takes a look at why those 12 years and older should be able to ride on the footpath.” Posted on April 2, 2014 by Rideonmag. Accessed from: https://rideonmagazine.com.au/teens-in-traffic/ (5) Bloomfield, A., (2000) "Cycling: your health, the public’s health and the planet’s health" Presentation for Making Cycling Viable, New Zealand Cycling Symposium, Palmerston North 14-15 July 2000. Source: http://www.cycle-helmets.com/bloomfield.pdf (6) C Rissel, LM Wen. The possible effect on the frequency of cycling if mandatory bicycle helmet legislation was repealed in Sydney, Australia: a cross-sectional survey. Health Promot J Austr. 2011;22:178–183. Accessed from: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/public-health/preventionresearch/pdf/HPJA_2011_Rissel.pdf (7) O'Reilly, M., (2012) "Share bike schemes need to lose the lids", Sydney Morning Herald, September 20, 2012, Source: http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/f itness/blogs/on-your-bike/share-bikeschemes-need-to-lose-the-lids- 20120920-267wg.html (8) Walker, I. (2007). “Drivers overtaking bicyclists: Objective data on the effects of riding position, helmet use, vehicle type and apparent gender”. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 39, 417-425. (Overview published by Bath University accessed from: http://www.drianwalker.com/overtaking/overtakingprobrief.pdf
At the end of your submission, please include the following: I, the undersigned provide this submission on the following basis: X X X
The submission will be provided to the jury for consideration The submission will be hosted for public comment on the internet I may be invited by the Jury to present the ideas within this submission to the Jury.
Name: Guy Keulemans _____________________________________________________
Date: 5/10/14 _______________________________________________________________
Motorists and cyclists will always be using our roads. What things could we trial to ensure they share the roads safely? Please fill in this submission form prior to 5 October 2014. Your submission should be no more than two pages. Clearly outline your point of view and provide examples to supporting your submission. Email your submission to: [email protected]
Details about you: 1. Name Guy Keulemans _______________________________________________________________________
2. Organisation / private citizen _______________________________________________________________________
3. Contact details (include an email and telephone contact) Submission topic: Helmet Laws
While I believe that proper, well designed infrastructure is the number one priority for increasing the number and safety of cyclists on our roads, there is one small, costless change which will have dramatic and positive effects. This is to relax the mandatory helmet laws (MHLs) in SA deried from the Australian Road Rules. This law was forced onto the states in the early 90s (on threat of withholding traffic infrastrcuture funding) without proper scientific study. The immediate effect was reduction in cycling rates (1). The Federal government has since abandoned this policy position, but Australia and New Zealand became the only two countries with (almost) complete country-wide MHLs. Note that even countries with very similar road rules and culture as our own, such as the UK, have not, and will not, mplement MHLs (2). But we don't need to look overseas to see what benefits a relaxation of MHLs will have – the Northern Territory relaxed their MHLs in 1994 two years after their implementation, to allow helmetless riding on footpaths and other non-road areas. Currently, the NT has the highest cycling modal share of any state (beaten only be a few Melbourne inner suburbs) AND the lowest pro rate cycling injury rates Australia-wide (3). This is impressive, given that many cycling conditions in the NT are otherwie similar to other states, and in some ways worse (such as weather and infrastructure). Note that this particular relaxation would also require footpath riding to be fully legalised. I fully support this change also, and it would bring the SA in line with not just the NT but also Queensland, Tasmania and the ACT. Indications from the experience of these states is that it does not cause an increase in pedestriancyclist conflict (4). But it does create a space for older school children and new or inexperienced bike riders to commute safely away from motorized traffic. This is not a legal change that will make helmets illegal – rather, cyclists will be free to choose and there are reasons, scientific or common-sense, for choosing to wear a helmet. Yet, there are many who will cycle more given the freedom to ride helmetless, even if normally do wear helmets. Tthe real benefits are at the macrosocial level; the negative relationships between MHLs and cycling safety have been studied by social scientists and are compelling. MHLs reduce cycling uptake (5), make cycling look dangerous (6), cause bicycle share schemes to fail (7) and may even increase risky behavior around cyclists from motorists (8). In conclusion, the removal or relaxation of the mandatory helmet laws have many advantages and will bring South Australia inline with the Northern Territory and the rest of the world. References: (1) D. L. Robinson (1996) “Head Injuries and Bicycle Helmet Laws” Accident Analysis and Prevention Vol.28, No 4. (2) “Response to e-petition: Please make cycling helmets a legal requirement”, Department for Transport, HM Government. Accessed from: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/48526
(3)”Helmet laws: Northern Territory”. Accessed from: http://www.cyclehelmets.org/1114.html (4) “Teens in traffic: Should teenagers ride on the road? Simon Vincett takes a look at why those 12 years and older should be able to ride on the footpath.” Posted on April 2, 2014 by Rideonmag. Accessed from: https://rideonmagazine.com.au/teens-in-traffic/ (5) Bloomfield, A., (2000) "Cycling: your health, the public’s health and the planet’s health" Presentation for Making Cycling Viable, New Zealand Cycling Symposium, Palmerston North 14-15 July 2000. Source: http://www.cycle-helmets.com/bloomfield.pdf (6) C Rissel, LM Wen. The possible effect on the frequency of cycling if mandatory bicycle helmet legislation was repealed in Sydney, Australia: a cross-sectional survey. Health Promot J Austr. 2011;22:178–183. Accessed from: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/public-health/preventionresearch/pdf/HPJA_2011_Rissel.pdf (7) O'Reilly, M., (2012) "Share bike schemes need to lose the lids", Sydney Morning Herald, September 20, 2012, Source: http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/f itness/blogs/on-your-bike/share-bikeschemes-need-to-lose-the-lids- 20120920-267wg.html (8) Walker, I. (2007). “Drivers overtaking bicyclists: Objective data on the effects of riding position, helmet use, vehicle type and apparent gender”. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 39, 417-425. (Overview published by Bath University accessed from: http://www.drianwalker.com/overtaking/overtakingprobrief.pdf
At the end of your submission, please include the following: I, the undersigned provide this submission on the following basis: X X X
The submission will be provided to the jury for consideration The submission will be hosted for public comment on the internet I may be invited by the Jury to present the ideas within this submission to the Jury.
Name: Guy Keulemans _____________________________________________________
Date: 5/10/14 _______________________________________________________________
