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On Wednesday, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the draft Road Safety Law registered in the Seimas, according to which the driver of a bicycle or motorcycle can cross the road. After receiving the Government’s conclusion, the Seimas will consider and vote on the project.
“The position of the Ministry does not change: we do not support the bill, which proposes to allow cyclists to cross the road when driving in crosswalks,” said the Minister of Transport and Communications, J.Narkevičius, against the proposed regulation .
Sigismund Gedvila photo / 15min / Jaroslav Narkevicius
He argued that “a crosswalk is an element of traffic management intended exclusively for pedestrians, pedestrians must feel safe in the crosswalk and that legislators must ensure safety.”
J.Narkevičius trusted statistics that in 2017 there were 27 collisions involving pedestrians in crosswalks, one person died, in 2018 – 25 collisions, in 2019 – 37 collisions.
Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis said it would be just the opposite: After the amendments are adopted, bicycle traffic at pedestrian crossings will be regulated and accidents will be reduced.
“The bill is likely to reduce the number of accidents he has been talking about, because according to the initiators of the law, when riding a bicycle in an unregulated crosswalk, a cyclist must stop before entering a pedestrian crossing, passing vehicles on the roadway, start driving only if you are sure that the actions will not force other road users to change the direction or speed of movement, “said the prime minister.
Environment Minister Kęstutis Mažeika stated that the Environment Ministry also supports the amendments as their position is “to promote bicycle traffic and as many people as possible to use bicycles”. “The common goal of all of us is to make cyclists feel safe,” said Mažeika.
S. Skvernelis said it will be just the opposite: if the amendments are adopted, bicycle traffic at pedestrian crossings will be regulated and the number of accidents will be reduced.
Later, at a press conference, Prime Minister S. Skvernelis stated that the purpose of the proposed amendments to the law is “to protect both cyclists and pedestrians, to supply transport drivers, therefore, the proposed legal regulation should provide more security. “
“Bicyclists in any case would have to stop before the crossing, make sure it’s safe, make sure it doesn’t obstruct pedestrians, doesn’t endanger other road users, jump on pedestrians and other transport participants, and then they can cross the crosswalk, “said the head of government.
The project presented by Seimas members belonging to different factions of the group allows the driver of a bicycle or motorcycle to cross the road in a regulated and unregulated crosswalk while riding a bicycle or motorcycle.
When a bicycle enters an unregulated crosswalk, the motorcycle rider must stop, jump vehicles on the roadway, start driving only when he is convinced that his actions will not force other road users to change direction, and speed.
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