Road Safety Week launches across Canada
Posted May 13, 2014 5:53 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Police organizations across Canada will be joining forces this week to educate drivers on road safety.
Road Safety Week, which runs from from May 13 to May 19, aims to “save lives and reduce injuries” on Canada’s roadways.
Police will be focusing on the big four factors: impaired, distracted and aggressive driving, and seatbelt use, including failure to use one or the improper use of one.
The program is part of Canada’s Road Safety Strategy 2015 — a plan to make the country’s roads the “safest in the world by 2015.”
The initiative is also sponsored by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) and Transport Canada.
In March, Ontario Provincial Police said distracted driving caused more deaths than impaired driving in 2013.
The OPP said that in 2013, the number of crashes involving distracted driving was higher than both impaired and speed-related fatalities.
Seventy-eight people were killed in distracted driving collisions compared to 57 impaired deaths and 44 speed-related ones.
Distracted driving fines went up to $280 on March 18.
In 2013, 61 people were involved in traffic fatalities in the city, including 40 pedestrians.
With files from Erin Criger and Kevin Misener
