'Freddie’s Law’ road safety campaign prompts Minister's pledge to act

Wednesday 17 February 2021

The Government will consider whether new laws can be introduced to better protect cyclists and other vulnerable road users, the Infrastructure Minister has pledged, after thousands of islanders called for ‘Freddie’s Law’.

Freddie Dentskevich was badly injured after being hit by a van while out cycling last year.

After the driver who hit him wasn't prosecuted, his mother, Jo, set up a petition calling for a change in the law to close what she perceived as a loophole.

The petition has secured nearly 3,700 signatures at the time of writing - more than three times the amount needed for an official Ministerial response. 

Infrastructure Minister Deputy Kevin Lewis finally replied to those calls today, saying that the Government's work on promoting green transport locally will include consideration of better protection for vulnerable road users like cyclists. 

Pictured: Infrastructure Minister, Deputy Kevin Lewis. 

“The built environment, legislation, education and publicity all contribute to improving road safety. The [Sustainable Transport Policy] will include consideration for how new liability laws could encourage change," he said.

"It is always traumatic when someone is injured on our roads, and my thoughts are with Freddie and his family.

“The purpose of the petition is to seek to initiate a review of the Jersey’s laws ‘governing the rights and protections of all vulnerable road users with a view to making it safer to cycle, walk and horse ride on Jersey’s roads’.

“There is already work underway to try to make the roads safer for all users, including:
• road improvements to create space for cyclists;
• to ensure consistency in speed limits;
• the promotion of consideration for other road users and the prioritisation of road users who are not in cars;
• and work to encourage people to use active travel instead of cars.”

However, while Deputy Lewis said this work “may reduce the number and severity of collisions”, he admitted that “it will not stop them.”

He went on to state that, given Jersey laws’ requirement to adhere to the European Convention on Human Rights, “there is no reason to believe that Jersey’s current legislation is deficient.”

Deputy Lewis did, however, state that, he would “ask for consideration to be given to amending the wording to more closely reflect the UK’s” when the law was revised to make road users’ responsibilities and offences clearer.

Meanwhile, St. Martin Constable Karen Shenton-Stone has put forward a proposal to create a ‘hierarchy of responsibility’ for Jersey’s road users.

Pictured: St. Martin Constable Karen Shenton-Stone.

In a report explaining her proposition, Constable Shenton-Stone says this ranking system, inspired by a proposal in the UK, would be “based on the level of risk” putting vulnerable people such as children, disabled people and the elderly at the top, followed by cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists.

In contrast, those driving the largest vehicles with the most potential to cause harm would carry a greater responsibility than these vulnerable citizens.

The proposition is currently scheduled to be debated in the States Assembly on 2 March.