LAW COMPLIANCE AMONG CYCLISTS IN NEW SOUTH WALES, APRIL 1992; A THIRD SURVEY

An observational survey of law compliance among cyclists was conducted in March and April of 1992. The survey was the third in a series of surveys conducted primarily to assess the impact of the compulsory helmet regulation introduced for bicycle riders over sixteen years of age in January of 1991 and for bicycle riders under sixteen years of age in July 1991. The two previous surveys were conducted in September, 1990 and April 1991 (see IRRD abstracts nos 831137 and 831361). The timing of this third survey was arranged to allow evaluation of the impact of the compulsory helmet on cyclists under sixteen years of age. However, the survey was wider in scope than simply to evaluate the compulsory helmet regulation in New South Wales. In general the survey was intended to provide further information on trends in law compliance among all bicycle riders, independently of age. The survey was conducted in several parts. Helmet wearing and compliance with other rules of the road were monitored at twenty-five locations in the Sydney Metropolitan Area and at a further fifteen locations in rural centres throughout New South Wales. Helmet wearing only was monitored at a further twenty three recreational areas, twelve in Sydney and eleven in the rural centres, and at sixty schools, thirty six in Sydney and twenty four in the country. Previous surveys have shown a stable pattern among cyclists of failure to comply with the rules of the road. Over 90% of cyclists who were conducting a manoeuvre on the road requiring an arm signal fail to give that signal. That result is repeated in this survey. 95% of Sydney cyclists and 86% of cyclists in centres outside Sydney failed to give an arm signal when one was required. Failure to have adequate lighting at night puts the cyclist at risk of collision with another vehicle. In previous surveys, approximately 70% of cyclists riding at night have one or both lights missing or not working. Again a high rate of having no light at night was observed in this study. 68% of Sydney cyclists and 60% of cyclists in rural centres failed to have adequate lighting at night. Riding through red traffic lights continues to have a high incidence. In Sydney, over 40% of cyclists who were required to stop for a red traffic light failed to do so. Finally, 12% of cyclists ride on the wrong part of the road (typically the middle) or against the traffic. These rates have been maintained across three survey years.