Cyclists are to blame in less than a third of accidents with motor vehicles, police figures show.
A four-month operation targeting the behaviour of cyclists and motorists aims to improve cycle safety in Canterbury, particularly around schools and cycle lanes.
Three fatal and 95 serious injury accidents were among Christchurch's 538 reported cycle crashes in the past three years.
Senior Sergeant Stephen Burgerhout, of the police strategic traffic unit, said motorists were largely at fault in more than half the accidents involving cyclists nationwide.
Cyclists were primarily to blame in only 27 per cent of accidents, he said.
"Undoubtedly, every motorist in Christchurch will have a story about poor behaviour by a cyclist, but by the same token every cyclist will have number of stories about poor driving behaviour by a motorist.
"We don't want to apportion blame, but in every case bad decisions are made."
Raising awareness of the risks was the aim, Burgerhout said.
"The flat nature of Christchurch makes cycling an ideal way of getting about. Anything we can do to encourage the use of sustainable transportation is better than everyone going to work in a car by themselves."
He said cyclists could reduce the risk with lights and reflective clothing, and by staying off footpaths, complying with traffic lights and using cycle lanes.
The highest proportion of injured cyclists were intermediate school pupils, Burgerhout said.
"It could be for the same reason the risks for learner drivers go up markedly because they start driving by themselves without supervision.
"A lot through primary school age do have a lot of supervision on their bikes, but [after that] they're on their own and doing things their own way, and they can make some bad decisions."
That fewer cyclists wore helmets, especially high school students, was a concern.
Head injury rates were reduced about 88 per cent by wearing a helmet, he said.
A cyclist suffered a serious head injury in a crash at Mt Pleasant recently.
"His helmet was as good as gold. Unfortunately, it was hanging off his handlebars."
Cycling advocate Chrissie Williams, a Christchurch city councillor, was badly injured in 1998 when a car door was opened in front of her and she fell from her cycle into the path of another car outside the Civic Offices on Tuam St.
She believed the city's low cycle numbers contributed to the problem.
"In other countries, where you've a got a much higher proportion of people travelling by bike, safety improves."
The biggest threats to cyclists were opening car doors and sudden lane crossings, she said.
"Some cyclists don't help the cause, but generally, and particularly in Christchurch, people seem to have a blind spot for cyclists," she said. "At night, no matter how well I'm lit, I always bike very defensively."
Improved signalling from cyclists would increase safety, Williams suggested.
From Stuff.co.nz