What is the legal distance required to pass a cyclist?

New South Wales has moved to mitigate an alarming rise in cyclist fatalities by enforcing a minimum passing distance for surrounding vehicles.

Motorists will now be required to leave a minimum 1 metre gap whilst overtaking a cyclist travelling below 60km/h or 1.5 metres whilst travelling over 60km/h. Motorists who don’t adhere to the new laws will be subject to a $330 fine and two demerit points.

The move follows a two-year NSW trial and comes after road toll figures this week revealed a 104 per cent increase in cyclist fatalities across the country over the past 12 months.

According to the NSW government, the two-year trial of the new rules brought about a 15 per cent reduction in bike-to-vehicle accidents.

"That is an indication that the trial worked, and it's not just feedback from cycling groups, it's also feedback from motorists," said NSW Minister for Roads, Melinda Pavey.

"That's important, because when you have a law that isn't respected, that doesn't strike that balance... then you're not going the have people respect those laws."

NSW motorists will be afforded some road rule exemptions under the new laws, specifically in being permitted to cross solid white lines in order to pass cyclists safety, drive over flat “painted islands” and stray into other lanes when safe to do so.

Similar laws exist in Western Australia and Queensland, both enforcing the same tolerances as NSW, but were rejected by the Victorian Government last year.

Cycling Australia chief executive Steve Drake told the ABC that the laws would help reduce the occurrence of cyclists being “clipped” by side mirrors.

"Anything that helps keep vulnerable road users safe is a good thing and the minimum passing laws is definitely one of those,” he said.

"When car drivers are driving very quickly, so 100km/h or something, they're pushing a fair bit of wind with them and that can have an impact on a rider if they're passed too close as well."