On October 13th, longtime Bike Winnipeg member Charles Feaver will ask the Public Utilities Board (PUB) to order Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) to be more proactive in changing driver behaviours in Manitoba.
The PUB is holding a hearing to review MPI’s plans for the next fiscal year, including plans for road safety education and media campaigns. Bike Winnipeg has been participating in these hearings for over ten years, arguing for more effective programs to inform all drivers about safe driving, particularly around cyclists. We have had good cooperation from the MPI road safety department, which has moved from a claims reduction-based approach to more of a road safety focus. However, our community has not seen measurable results in better driver behaviour.
We will be presenting data to the PUB showing that, over the past ten years, cyclists and pedestrians have experienced increased road injuries in Manitoba cities, while at the same time, the MPI budget for road safety education has declined by a third in real dollars.
Charles will be asking the PUB to order MPI to develop a new road safety education and media awareness program each year for the next five years to deliver measurable changes in driver behaviour. Realistically, we know the PUB focuses on insurance rates and not road safety. That said, we believe that addressing the regulator is a useful exercise to get this important call to action out to another audience.
This is yet another example of the advocacy that we can do with more members. If you aren’t yet a Bike Winnipeg member, please join now.
