FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, May 12, 2017 10:00am
(Ottawa)—The Ottawa Police Service will be on the lookout for drivers in violation of the one -metre safe passing of cyclists legislation in the coming weeks.
As part of the Highway Traffic Act (HTA), drivers must leave a minimum one metre distance between the vehicle and the cyclist they are passing. It was implemented to improve cycling safety in Ontario and came into effect in January of 2016.
“To enforce this particular rule, police will be using a sonar device that measures the distance between a bicycle and passing cars,” said Rob Wilkinson, Coordinator, Safer Roads Ottawa Program. “Ottawa is the first city in all of Canada to use the 1M device for law enforcement.”
Officers will be patrolling the streets of Ottawa throughout the summer looking specifically for drivers not keeping their one metre distance. Drivers who do not respect the safe passing distance can be charged with a $110 fine and lose two demerit points.
The Safer Roads Ottawa Program is a leading community partnership between Ottawa Fire Services, Ottawa Paramedic Service, Ottawa Police Service, Ottawa Public Health and the Transportation Services Department committed to preventing or eliminating road deaths and serious injuries for all people in the City of Ottawa, through culture change, community engagement, and development of a sustainable safe transportation environment.
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