Councillor wants dooring outlawed after cyclist injured
A Halifax councillor wants the province to make dooring cyclists an offence under the Motor Vehicle Act after a woman on her bike was struck and seriously injured by a truck door on a Halifax street earlier this week.
Coun. Shawn Cleary is an avid cyclist who often bikes to city hall. He said he assumed that the Motor Vehicle Act had legislation to cover dooring, but learned that's not the case.
Similar legislation is on the books in many other parts of the country and Cleary said Nova Scotia should follow suit.
He plans to table a motion next week to urge Mayor Mike Savage to write a letter to the transportation minister over the matter.
Dooring happens when a driver, often without looking first, opens their door into the roadway, striking a cyclist or vehicle.
'Dooring' witness welcomes move
Cleary said he would like to see the Motor Vehicle Act amended to "include opening a door when it's not safe to do so as something that would be illegal."
He said he decided to take the step after learning about the incident on Vernon Street in Halifax on Monday.
Sara Kirk witnessed this and is a friend of the woman who was struck by the truck door and knocked onto the road.
Kirk, who is a board member at the advocacy group Canada Bikes, said she was delighted to hear about Clearly's motion.
"It is so important to have leadership from all levels of government on issues like this," she said in an email.
"There has already been work within the province to address dooring and other similar incidents that endanger vulnerable road users."
Kirk said that when decision makers advocate for change, "we find things move faster."
Stiff fines elsewhere in Canada
Halifax Regional Police told CBC News on Monday that while dooring is not an offence under provincial legislation, a driver could be responsible for damages under automobile insurance regulations.
A spokesperson for Nova Scotia's Transportation Department said it's currently pondering legislative changes.
"We know that this can be an issue for road users. We are currently looking at the feasibility of introducing amendments to address this safety concern," the statement said.
Highway legislation in most other provinces and territories prohibits people from opening their vehicle doors "until it is reasonably safe to do so."
A conviction can result in a fine of anywhere between $45 in Newfoundland and $500 on Prince Edward Island. In Ontario, the penalty is $365, plus three demerit points.
