As the nation celebrates Cadel Evans’ famous Tour De France victory, it is also a time to highlight the issues of safety for cyclists on our roads as we mourn the death of another cyclist on Beach Road in Melbourne last Friday.

CEO of The Amy Gillett Foundation, Tracey Gaudry, is very distressed by yet another death of a cyclist.

“This is another senseless death that could have been prevented. The young cyclist, John Cornish died on Beach Road after a truck driver travelling in the right hand lane went to change into the left hand lane. In doing so, he did not see John who was riding in the left lane and John was subsequently pushed into the cars parked on the side of the road.

I want to reinforce how important it is that drivers must move into a separate lane when overtaking any vehicle in a multi-lane road such as Beach Road - whether passing a bike or a motorised vehicle it is the law - and should allow at least one metre when passing cyclists,” Ms Gaudry said.

Currently no state is willing to pass a legislated minimum passing distance and the Amy Gillett Foundation believes there is a strong argument to introduce a road rule nationally that prescribes a minimum safe passing distance.

The Foundation has recently launched an online fundraising campaign to create a national bike safety campaign at www.bikemovement.org.au. Their previous campaign, “A Metre Matters” has reached over 3 million Australians and educated over 50,000 L-plate drivers about road rules relating to car-bike rider interactions on our roads.

As an Ambassador of The Amy Gillett Foundation, Cadel Evans is passionate about spreading the safety message to motorists and cyclists with the hope of making the roads safer and ultimately saving lives.

Background
The Amy Gillett Foundation was established in 2005 following the death of Amy Gillett while cycling with the Australian Women’s Cycling Team in Germany, when a driver careered across the wrong side of the road into the riders. The Foundation’s mission is safe bicycling in Australia. Its vision is zero bike-related fatalities.