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McGuinty Government Recognizes Role Of Road Safety Partners
TORONTO, May 5 /CNW/ -
NEWS
By helping to reduce drinking and driving, cracking down on street
racing, improving school bus and truck safety, and other activities, Ontario's
road safety partners have helped to make the province's roads among the safest
in North America for 11 years running.
Latest statistics show that Ontario has consistently ranked among the
safest jurisdictions in North America, with 0.87 road fatalities per 10,000
licensed drivers - second only to the Northwest Territories.
Road safety is about more than laws and enforcement; it is also about
encouraging safe driving behaviour through education. Today the McGuinty
government recognized the contributions of a number of road safety partners
that have helped make Ontario's road safety record possible.
QUOTES
"Even with more people and vehicles on our roads than ever before,
Ontario has maintained an excellent road safety record year after year, thanks
in part to the contributions of our road safety partners - and today we are
acknowledging their outstanding work," said Transportation Minister Jim
Bradley (http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/about/minister.htm).
"Although it's gratifying to know that the excellent work the men and
women of the OPP are doing 24 hours, seven days a week, is paying off, still
too many people are dying on Ontario's highways. We will continue to crack
down on aggressive drivers, those who speed, motorists who insist on drinking
and driving and those who don't buckle up. Our goal is to make Ontario's roads
the safest anywhere," said OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino
(http://www.opp.ca/Organization/Commissioner/index.htm).
QUICK FACTS
<<
- Ontario works with over 150 road safety organizations in communities
across the province.
- For example:
- Mothers Against Drunk Driving (http://www.madd.ca/) and the Ontario
Community Council on Impaired Driving (http://www.occid.org/) have
been helping convince drivers to not get behind the wheel if they
have been drinking.
- The Ontario School Bus Association (http://www.osba.on.ca/) and
Ontario Trucking Association (http://www.ontruck.org/) promote
safety within their industries.
- Ontario's roads are getting safer. Over the past 10 years, the number
of licensed drivers on the province's roads increased more than 22 per
cent. During the same period, the number of traffic fatalities dropped
20 per cent.
- Since 2004, the McGuinty government has implemented a number of tough
measures, including some of the highest fines and strictest penalties
in North America for impaired driving
(http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/impaired/) and street racing.
>>
LEARN MORE
Download a copy of the latest Ontario Road Safety Annual Report
(http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/orsar/).
Parents, teachers and community volunteers can access information on a
variety of road safety topics
(http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/topics.htm) at the Ministry of
Transportation's website, from choosing the correct booster seat for your
child to how to stay safe when on foot.
<<
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BACKGROUNDER
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ONTARIO'S ROAD SAFETY RECORD
>>
"MADD Canada applauds the Ontario government for all its tough measures
against impaired drivers. The cost of an impaired driving conviction is not
worth the risk of consuming alcohol and getting behind the wheel of a motor
vehicle"
- Andrew Murie, MADD Canada Chief Executive Officer
"We are very pleased to be affiliated with MTO as a Road Safety Partner.
Our Car Seat team in York Region has a very rewarding and productive working
relationship with MTO staff, who have been very supportive of our initiatives
in educating parents and others regarding child seats over the past five
years. Having such a reliable partner is a cornerstone of our Community
Service Offering, helping to enhance road safety in our communities."
- Dave Paradis, York Region Executive Director, St. John Ambulance
MAKING ROADS SAFER
The McGuinty government has taken action to improve road safety and keep
communities and families safe.
Combating Impaired Driving
Recent statistics show that drinking and driving collisions killed 174
people on Ontario roads in 2005. To fight impaired driving, Ontario's tough
penalties include:
<<
- Immediate 90-day driver's licence suspension at the roadside if a
driver tests over the legal blood alcohol limit
- Mandatory alcohol assessment, education or treatment and follow up for
convicted drinking drivers
- Ignition interlock to prevent the car from starting if a convicted
drunk driver has taken a drink
- Taking vehicles away from those who continue to drive while suspended.
Putting A Stop To Street Racing
Ontario's tough measures for those who endanger others by speeding
excessively or performing stunts on the roads include:
- Targeting street racing and stunt driving with an immediate seven-day
driver's licence suspension and vehicle impoundment at the roadside
- Increasing the fine for street racing or stunt driving to $10,000, and
the minimum fine to $2000, upon conviction
- Driver's licence suspensions of up to 10 years for a second street-
racing conviction.
Getting Ontario To Buckle Up
Since 2005, the McGuinty government has taken a number of actions to
encourage Ontarians to make sure all passengers are safely secured,
including:
- Making booster seats mandatory
- Requiring that children be transported in child car seats in the
vehicles of caregivers, relatives and friends - not just in their
parents' vehicle
- Making sure all passengers sit in a seat with a seatbelt and are
properly buckled up
- Introducing stiffer penalties for drivers who don't follow these
rules, including a fine of $110 and two demerit points.
Higher Standards For Beginner Drivers
Ontario's Beginner Driver Education program is designed to teach novice
drivers good driving habits and keep our roads safe including:
- Curriculum standards that place a stronger focus on improving problem
attitudes and behaviours such as aggressive driving and speeding
- Tough new standards for driving instructors
- A rigorous monitoring and audit program to ensure schools are meeting
Ontario's standards, including the use of "undercover shoppers"
Safer Trucks
Ontario's stringent truck safety laws include the highest fines and
sanctions for commercial vehicle offences.
Recent initiatives to improve truck safety include:
- Introducing legislation to make speed limiter use mandatory to make
large trucks safer by capping their maximum speed at 105 kilometres per
hour.
- A restrictive condition on the truck driver Class "A" driver's licence.
Effective June 16, 2008, drivers who take their Class "A" road test
using smaller vehicles (i.e., a pick-up truck pulling a large
recreational trailer) will be restricted to driving vehicles of similar
size, and not be licensed to drive a full size tractor-trailer.
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For further information: Nicole Lippa-Gasparro, Minister's Office, (416)327-1815; Bob Nichols, Communications Branch, (416) 327-1158
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