Break-out Session on Laws & Enforcement

Question:

As pedestrian and cycling advocates with a national perspective, how can we engage in reformatting and shaping the legal and advocacy agenda that will transform the culture on our streets to equally favor all street users. How can we build the dialogue and campaigns that exist surrounding concepts like ‘complete streets’ and ‘traffic justice’ into a more unified vision and organizing front?

Proposal:

Pedestrian and Cycling advocates must take on this new era of transportation planning by being the champions of a ‘Street Code.’ A Street Code can be defined as an agenda comprised of legislation, educational materials and localized bike/ped advocacy that explicates a collective understanding of how streets users should interact:

*Drivers must always yield to both pedestrians and cyclists, and follow relevant traffic laws

*Cyclists must always yield to pedestrians, and follow relevant traffic laws

*Pedestrians must follow relevant traffic laws

Goals:

*To affect a substantial change in the fabric of our street culture and code of conduct, bolstered by diverse strategies of legislation, policy, design and advocacy targeting street culture, with a larger aim to equally prioritize all street users legally and socially.

*To form stronger and more proactive partnerships between cycling and pedestrian advocates that work towards more effectively achieving the above changes.

*As cycling & pedestrian advocates to provide a unified front that can more strategically and positively interact with motorists and tackle potential partnerships with their organizational entities.

*To move away from antagonistic advocacy that stands more against something than positively for change on our streets.

*To be the leaders in the transformation of our National Transportation Agenda into one defined legally, politically and socially as a ‘street code.’

What role do laws have in changing behavior and inter-modal interactions?

*Stricter penalties for killer drivers

*Enforcement Cameras

*Vision Zero

*Complete Streets

What role will advocacy play?

*NYC example: Biking Rules!

*Partnerships with non-traditional groups to create new materials and messages

International Best Practices

From 1975 to 1998, pedestrian fatalities fell 72% in The Netherlands and by 79% in Germany, compared to a 31% decline in the US.

Bicycle fatalities over the same period fell by 57% in The Netherlands and by 66% in Germany, compared to a 24% decline in the US.

This decline in bicyclist fatalities comes while during a period in which bicycling increased by 50% in Germany. The decline in US bike fatalities is due in large part to a decrease in children cycling.

In addition to comprehensive bicycle routes and networks, countries like Germany and The Netherlands are using traffic restrictions and law enforcement to prioritize the utility and safety of cycling and walking.

- Traffic regulations favor cyclists and pedestrians. Even when a crash is caused in part by a pedestrian or cyclist’s illegal move, the motorist is usually found partially at fault. In crashes involving children or the elderly, the motorist is usually found entirely at fault. The police and courts find that motorists should anticipate many of these unsafe and illegal walking and cycling behaviors.

- In Belgium, the insurance company automatically pays damages in collisions between cyclists or pedestrians and motor vehicles, no matter who’s at fault.

- Police more strictly enforce traffic laws for all road users. Dangerous drivers are penalized most severely, and cyclists and pedestrians receive tickets or warnings for violating traffic law

- Driver training in The Netherlands and Germany includes significant preparation for avoiding collisions with pedestrians and cyclists, in addition to many hours of practice, testing and higher age requirements. Drivers are taught to anticipate the moves, both safe and unsafe or illegal, that all road users make. Drivers are trained to behave in a way that minimizes the risk of injury for pedestrians and cyclists, even if they are jaywalking, riding in the wrong direction, or ignoring signals.

- Pedestrian zones, often found in downtown centers, give right of way to pedestrians. Cyclists are typically allowed in these zones, provided they ride slowly and yield to pedestrians.

- Bicycle streets prioritize bicyclists, giving motor vehicles access but prohibiting them from hurrying or interfering with cyclists.

- The woonerf restricts motor vehicles, requiring them to travel at walking speeds.

- Priority traffic signals and bike boxes give cyclists time to clear the intersection before cars start moving.

- Bicycle-only right on red and left or right turns simultaneously calm motor vehicle traffic while improving cyclist mobility.

- Reduced speed limits in residential neighborhoods that have not been traffic calmed (20 mph vs the normal 30 mph.