Road & Pathway Safety in Bay Ward
Over the past couple of weeks, with the warmer temperatures and snow melting, we have seen an increase in pedestrians and cyclists of all ages using our roads and pathways. This will continue especially as we head into the summer months. It is important for everyone to be alert. The first defense against accidents is to be aware of your surroundings and considerate of other users.
For the past five months cyclists and cars have not had to share the roads as much as they do between the months April and November. As an avid cyclist myself I understand that often drivers don’t see us at the best of times, let alone when they’re not expecting us. It is important to assume you’re invisible. Be sure to give yourself plenty of space, pay attention to what other drivers are doing, anticipate their next move, and make yourself as visible as possible by wearing bright or fluorescent clothing. It’s a no brainer that wearing a helmet can save your life and bells are great indicators to others you are there. To help learn more about safety I have asked Safer Roads Ottawa to visit the Bay Ward community. They will have staff on location at Britannia Road and Howe 12-3pm to talk about cycling and safety awareness along with a variety of resources and tools that can help make sharing the roads and pathways a safer experience for everyone.
For more information on what the City is doing to improve road safety you can visit the City Road Safety Action Plan. In addition you can visit the NCC web site for information about their Share the Path program that speaks to pathway users.
