The government will not be "jumping into" changes to bicycle passing laws, Minister for Road Safety Jaala Pulford said ahead of a regional road safety forum in Ballarat.
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Victoria remains the only state without a minimum passing distance law as the government begins a regional tour to address the dramatic increase in road fatalities, including the death of a cyclist in Creswick earlier this year.
Ms Pulford, who spoke in Ballarat on Wednesday morning, said she was considering the findings of a yet to be released report evaluating the effectiveness of a 2018 public awareness campaign.
"If we are to consider a rule change we need to make sure that it is something that is workable and something that is enforceable because if it is neither it is not going to make anyone else safer," Ms Pulford said.
"We need to consider what is practical and what is achievable before jumping into any proposed change."
The rule change would require motorists to leave a one metre gap when passing a cyclist at speeds up to 60km/h and a one and a half metre gap at higher speeds.
A spokesperson for cycling safety group the Amy Gillett Foundation said the change would bring Victoria into line with other Australian states and territories.
"The Northern Territory will introduce minimum passing distance legislation that will become effective on August 1, leaving Victoria the only place in Australia without the clarity and protection these laws provide," they said.
"Minimum passing distance legislation creates clarity, so drivers and cyclists know what to do, and so that these types of crashes can be avoided.
"We continue to be disappointed that Victoria has fallen well behind other states."
So far this year, 162 people have died on Victorian roads, a 55.8 per cent increase on the equivalent period last year.
The rate of local cycling incidents ending in hospitalisation is at its highest level in five years, according to TAC data.
Over the ten years between 2009 and 2018, 45 cyclists were hospitalised following incidents in the Ballarat region.
The Amy Gillett Foundation said a one metre law would be "crucial" to changing driver behaviour.
"Legislation is an essential part of behaviour change, that's why we have laws in place for obvious things like speed, drink driving, seatbelts, talking on your phone," they said.
Victorian legislation change is dependent on a report evaluating the effectiveness of TAC's 2018 "give the space to bike riders" campaign, due to be released later this year.
"I know this is an issue that's really important to people who ride bikes across the Victorian community," Ms Pulford said.
"I hope to have something a bit more to say on this towards the end of the year."
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