Compulsory high-vis for cyclists on the cards
Push to tackle road toll could see cyclists sporting fluro instead of skin-tight lycraWhether you love or loathe the figure-hugging lycra donned of a cyclist, it may soon be covered up by fluorescent vests in a bid to tackle the rising road toll.
It comes as politicians – led by The Nationals WA – consider a push to make high-vis compulsory for cyclists and e-scooter riders on shared roads in the lead-up to the upcoming state election.
According to the ABC, the idea was raised by the party’s Narrogin branch at a recent state conference held in Bunbury, and that it’ll now be up to members to vote on the motion at the next Nationals WA state council meeting in November.
Nationals MP and deputy leader Peter Rundle was in favour of the move on account of the recent surge in road deaths across the state – five cyclists were killed on WA roads in 2023, marking a 32 per cent increase in the five-year average.
“Anything we can do to reduce the probability of someone getting injured or dying is really important,” he said.
“I had [an experience] myself recently… when I was just about to turn onto the main road.
“Someone came past on an electric bike going at about 70km/h and they were dressed in pure black.”
The Member for Roe said his team are now looking to gather statistics on the safety benefits of high-visibility apparel to support the motion, however, a 2018 WA government report on road safety practices found that wearing a helmet did not protect cyclists as much as good cycling infrastructure, such as bike paths.
It’s currently compulsory in WA for cyclists to wear a helmet when riding, while bike lights and reflectors are mandatory for those riding at night or in low-visibility conditions.
In the meantime, the public are weighing in and for some, the effort is being seen as ‘victim-blaming’, with feedback from cyclists suggesting the onus of safety is being shifted to vulnerable road users, instead of drivers.
Wayne Bradshaw, the head of WA’s peak cycling body WestCycle, said there’s been no definitive evidence to suggest high-visibility clothing saved lives.
“We need to be informed by data, not by intuition,” he said, citing a study by QUT that found high-vis vests made cyclists look “less human” to other road users.
“It’s kind of… shifting the onus on the vulnerable road users when really it’s the responsibility of all drivers on the roads to drive safety and ride safely.”
Such a law may discourage people from cycling, says Bradshaw, who said “we want more people riding bikes, not less.”
Related: Australia’s road toll continues to worsen
Related: What is the legal distance required to pass a cyclist?
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