Making footpaths and driveways safer

Pedestrians and cyclists

Going out? Be aware!

• Drivers can't always see you.
• If you are unsure, stop and wait.
• Look for cars coming out of driveways.
• Give yourself space.

Sneaky driveways can catch you out. Be safe.

Drivers

• Going out? Don't burst their bubble!
• Drive out forward of your driveway if you can.
• Double check the footpath and cycleway.
• If you have to reverse, do it safely and slowly.
• Look for pedestrian and cyclists.

The footpath is not for cars. Be alert.

North Shore City making footpaths safer
Nine year old Devonport resident Peter was riding his bike with his family on a weekend afternoon, on a quiet street, close to home when tragedy almost struck.

Peter was on the footpath riding by a driveway just as a car backed out, striking him to the ground. Luckily he only suffered chipped teeth, grazes and bruises.

Cars reverse out of driveways over footpaths on hundreds of streets all over North Shore City every day. That's why North Shore City Council is increasing awareness of the dangers of driveways for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

Crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists
In the last five years in North Shore City there were 84 crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists on the footpath, of these 12 resulted in serious injuries and two were fatal. We are aiming to bring this number down and promote safety for footpath users.

Many driveways are surrounded by high fences or plants right up to the footpath. This makes it hard for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to see each other.

A lot of houses in North Shore City have little or no space for cars to turn around, with reversing out the only option. Modern cars are so quiet, people on footpaths don't hear them coming.

We need drivers to reverse slowly and carefully, and double check footpaths and cycle ways before driving out onto the road. We need to be mindful of that issue when constructing fences too. We all have responsibilities to keep each other safe.