July road safety: motorcyclists and rural roads

Ottawa’s Road Safety Action Plan addresses the most common cause of fatal or major injury collisions during the month of July – collisions involving motorcyclists and collisions occurring in rural areas. Feature Story Each month the City of Ottawa Road Safety Action Plan focuses on specific areas that are determined based on trends in data collected for fatal and major injury collisions. Educating the public and building awareness is one of the ways we try to make our streets safer for all road users. The two themes for the month of July are motorcycles and rural roads. A motorcyclist’s struggle to be seen can be all two wheel A motorcyclist’s smaller size makes it harder for drivers to see them and to judge their approaching speed. Unlike car drivers, they’re not encased in a protective metal frame with airbags, making them a vulnerable road user. Even a minor collision or fall can result in major injuries. Between 2019 and 2023, there were 80 collisions in Ottawa that resulted in motorcyclists being killed or seriously injured.   Motorists – pay extra attention and watch for motorcyclists 

• Give motorcycles the same space all around as you would a car or truck 
• Keep a safe distance behind motorcycles and never tailgate – not only does this increase the risk of hitting the motorcycle if it slows down suddenly, but it also hides the motorcycle from the view of other motorists 
• Check your mirrors and blind spots frequently, especially before changing lanes -a motorcycle is small enough to be entirely hidden within your blind spot 
• Pay special attention at intersections: When making a left turn, give extra space for approaching motorcycles as they may be closer and approaching faster than you think 
• Make sure you are several car lengths ahead of the motorcycle before returning to the same lane 

Motorcyclists - make sure you’re seen  As a rider, assume you can’t be seen by other drivers. Always make sure the way is safe: 

• Put yourself in the best position to always be visible to drivers 
• Be aware of driver’s blind spots so you can avoid them 
• Watch the drivers around you to anticipate their moves; assume every vehicle is a threat until you determine it isn’t 
• Be on the lookout for vehicles turning left when you are proceeding through an intersection; this is a high-risk situation for motorcyclists 
• Use your horn to alert other road users who might not see you or if you suspect a driver hasn’t seen you; try to make eye contact if possible 
• Be predictable to other road users; for example, when travelling in heavy traffic, stay in the same lane as much as possible 
• Treat other road users – cars, bicycles, pedestrians, etc. – with the caution and respect you expect from them (which means don’t speed, don’t weave around them, etc.) 

Free Training  Part of the 2025 implementation plan for the City’s Road Safety Action Plan includes a free motorcycle safety course which is offered every spring for Ottawa-area riders. To register, contact sro@ottawa.ca. To participate, you’ll need an M2 license or higher at the time of registration. You’ll also need to bring your own motorcycle. The course will teach you valuable tools and techniques including: 

• Motorcycle maintenance and pre-ride safety check  
• Proper riding gear, position and communications  
• Hazard identification and response  
• Emergency braking (brake balancing) and swerving to avoid obstacles and collisions  
• Intersection strategies  
• Surviving and preventing high risk situations 

Wear the right gear  Besides a helmet, which is mandatory by law, protective gear for the rest of your body can literally save your skin. 

• Wear all the gear all the time, even if you’re just hopping on the bike for a quick errand 
• Your street clothing will disintegrate on impact with asphalt, exposing your skin to cuts, gravel rash and friction burns which are painful, slow to heal and can lead to infection 
• Riders wearing protective clothing are less likely to be admitted to hospital after a crash 
• Consider adding extra lights to the front and rear of the bike, and adding a brake light to your helmet 

Let’s shoulder responsibility for rural road safety Rural roads may not have the dense traffic you might find in downtown Ottawa, but they’re actually more deadly. Rural roads see a higher number of fatal collisions than any other area in our city. Between 2019 and 2023, there were 149 collisions on rural roads in Ottawa that resulted in a major injury or fatality. Forty-five were fatalities.  Some of the causes of these collisions include: 

• Speeding 
• Failing to stop at intersections 
• Impaired driving (drugs or alcohol) 

Motorists on rural roads should also:  

• Scan the sides of the road ahead, looking for animals or movement  
• Slow down before entering a curve on rural roads 
• Use high beams in low light conditions to look for any reflection from wildlife  
• Slow down when conditions are snowy, wet, foggy or icy since your stopping distance may be longer  
• Be extra cautious when you see a yellow sign indicating deer are frequently in the area  
• Avoid all distractions and keep your eyes on the road  

If a deer or other wildlife crosses your path:  

• Brake  
• Sound your horn  
• Do not swerve – this risks a loss of control  

When encountering farm equipment on rural roads, motorists should: 

• Be patient and wait for a safe opportunity to pass.  
• Pass where permitted with extreme caution - farm equipment can be large and difficult to maneuver.  
• Don't tailgate. 
• Avoid passing on curves, hills, intersections or no passing zones.  
• Don't pass and then slow down or stop - you could cause a collision.  
• Be aware of farm equipment turning as it may swing wide.  
• Don't pass equipment at intersections. 

The City of Ottawa is committed to improve safety on rural roads through engineering, enforcement and education, including:  

• Engineering 
  • Prioritizing locations to add lighting where none exists or to upgrade existing lighting 
  • Identifying rural stop locations for upgrading to oversized stop signs, stop ahead signs, a flashing LED beacon and/or marker lighting at high-risk collision locations 
  • Prioritizing shoulders that require maintenance  
  • Adding safety edges when resurfacing. Safety edges are bevels at the edge of the asphalt on roads without curbs. This allows motorists who partially leave the road to recover without over-correcting or catching a wheel edge. 
  • Prioritizing locations for upgrade from rural skewed intersection to standard intersection. 
• Enforcement 
  • Conducting an automated speed enforcement pilot study in four rural villages 
  • Working in conjunction with the Ottawa Police Service to conduct rural speed enforcement.  
• Education 
  • Conducting education and outreach related to the operation of ATVs in rural schools to ensure all road users are aware of hazards and safe operation. 

The City of Ottawa continues to make improvements to the safety of our roads and pathways with an emphasis on protecting vulnerable users – pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. The City’s 2020-2024 Road Safety Action Plan guides these engineering, education and enforcement initiatives. But even the safest transportation network requires that everyone follows the rules of the road for their mode of transportation.