Should cyclists have to obey stop signs? B.C. advocates pushing for 'rolling stops'

A cyclist rides through an intersection in an undated Shutterstock image.

Cycling advocates are asking the B.C. government to legalize so-called "rolling stops" at intersections with stop signs – as new research suggests the policy can be implemented safely.

HUB Cycling has been pushing for the relaxed rules for more than a decade, including on a policy wish list presented to the province ahead of the October election.

Under the proposed Motor Vehicle Act amendments, cyclists would be allowed to treat stop signs as yield signs, meaning they would only be expected to slow down as they approach the intersection.

If the road is clear, cyclists would be allowed to enter – while drivers would still be obligated to come to a full stop regardless of the circumstances.

"It's important to remember that people riding bicycles are not the same as people riding motor vehicles, and they do not pose the same risk to other road users – especially to people walking," said Navdeep Chhina, HUB's director of campaigns and inclusion.

"If it's safe to continue, they should be able to ride through."

A number of U.S. states have already adopted bicycle rolling stop laws, including Oregon in 2019. This month, researchers from Oregon State University published a study suggesting that legalizing the behaviour – which is also common in jurisdictions where it remains illegal – does not lead to riskier road use among cyclists. 

The researchers did find that education and outreach efforts are important wherever rolling stop laws are implemented.

Chhina argued the laws have benefits for drivers as well, because they help cyclists clear intersections faster.

"As anyone who rides a bike on a regular basis knows, stopping is not practical," he said. "People riding bicycles have to use their muscle power to get started again, which is much more cumbersome."

"We are not saying that people cycling just fly through intersections," he added.

CTV News reached out to the Ministry of Transportation to ask whether officials were considering amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act, and was told the existing rules are intended to "ensure safety" for cyclists and drivers alike.

"The suggestion to allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs would require more research to consider how the change would affect the safety of all road users," the ministry said in an email.

Between 2006 and 2017, an average of 74 cyclists were killed across the country every year, according to Statistics Canada.

Failing to follow road safety rules – either on the part of the cyclist or a motorist – was considered a possible factor in approximately one-third of those fatalities.

Most of the deaths occurred during rush hour.

Another policy recommended by HUB Cycling was to implement a provincial speed limit of 30 km/h for local streets – as was previously recommended by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry in 2016, in a wide-ranging report on decreasing deaths on the roads.

According to the report, pedestrians are approximately eight times more likely to be killed when struck in a 50 km/h zone than in a 30 km/h zone.

"This will make our streets much safer, our neighbourhoods much more livable," said Chhina.