Victoria’s road authority has been told to radically overhaul the state’s law to absolve bicycle riders of blame in any car accident in which they are involved.

As part of a commissioned review, it was suggested to VicRoads that drivers be automatically responsible for any collision with a cyclist, as is the case in the Netherlands.

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The proposal “emerged” during discussions with the 10,000 interviewees contacted for the report, although its exact level of support was not mentioned.

VicRoads has downplayed the suggestion, saying its implementation is “unlikely”.

“I think the premise of the idea is we should be prioritising those people who are using active transport, whether they’re walking and cycling and we should be doing everything we can to protect them,” VicRoads spokeswoman Robyn Seymour told the ABC.

“At this point, it’s probably unlikely to happen.”

Other suggestions were on-the-spot fines for cyclists talking on mobile phones; allowing more cyclists to ride on footpaths; and giving access to bus lanes to all riders.