QUEEN'S PARK — NDP MPP for University Rosedale Jessica Bell released the following statement in response to the MOMS Act including road safety improvements she has been pushing for:
"Cyclists are celebrating that the MOMS Act will allow for the reporting of dooring incidents to police, a key component of my Doored But Not Ignored Bill. Currently, a cyclist can end up in an emergency room after being hit by a car door, and the police won’t even turn up to report the incident. Requiring police to report on all dooring incidents will mean drivers can be held to account and cyclists can be safer.
Every transit rider has had the frightening experience of leaving a streetcar and nearly being hit by a car because the driver failed to stop. I am proud the city has finally been given the authority to install safety cameras on street cars so riders can exit and enter streetcars more safely, and drivers who break the law can be more easily identified and fined.
While the MOMS Act is a step in the right direction, the government must do more to make our roads safe for all. I am calling on the government to pass my Vulnerable Road Users Bill to bring in tougher penalties for drivers who kill and injure a pedestrian, cyclist or road worker.”