Toronto Moves Forward with Side Guards on Heavy-Duty Vehicles to Boost Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety

Toronto, ON – The City of Toronto is taking decisive steps to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety by retrofitting its fleet of heavy-duty vehicles with side guards. A staff report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, scheduled for November 27, outlines a plan to retrofit 219 of 500 City-owned heavy-duty vehicles by the end of 2025, with the remainder completed by December 2026.

Side guards, protective railings or bars mounted between the axles of large trucks, are designed to prevent pedestrians and cyclists from being pulled under the wheels during collisions. Research shows they could reduce cyclist fatalities by 62%, pedestrian fatalities by 20%, and serious cyclist injuries by 6%.

This initiative is part of the City’s Vision Zero program, which prioritizes reducing traffic-related injuries and fatalities. Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie, Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, emphasized the importance of such measures. “Side guards can significantly improve pedestrian and cyclist safety. Recommendations such as these are part of our ongoing commitment to the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan,” she said.

City of Toronto staff report aims to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety by adding side guards to City-owned heavy-duty vehicles

News Release: https://t.co/JVT0A0BnDC pic.twitter.com/FoqXQtDGYq

— City of Toronto (@cityoftoronto) November 20, 2024

To date, the City has already equipped over 30 new heavy-duty vehicles with side guards. The retrofitting process will focus on remaining suitable vehicles based on a risk-based approach. Once implemented, Toronto will share its best practices with City agencies and corporations to encourage broader adoption of safety measures on commercial vehicles.

Mayor Olivia Chow lauded the initiative as a bold step forward. “The City of Toronto is taking bold action to improve pedestrian safety. Adding side guards to vehicles is proven to reduce pedestrian and cyclist fatalities and will help make our City safer,” she said.

The City’s leadership in this area comes in the absence of federal or provincial requirements for side guards on commercial vehicles. The full report, titled Feasibility of Requiring Side Guards on all Commercial Trucks Operating in the City of Toronto, Including Retrofitting the City’s Fleet, is available on the City’s website.

For more information, visit the Vision Zero program website at www.toronto.ca/visionzero.

SOURCE City of Toronto