Ontario's Roads are North America's Safest in 2003

The Ontario Road Safety Annual Report (ORSAR) provides a comprehensive overview of road safety in the province. For more than 50 years, Ontario has been building a database to track long-term trends in road safety including:

• collision rates;
• fatalities and injuries among drivers, passengers and pedestrians; and,
• incidents of drinking and driving.

To create ORSAR, the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) collects data from many different sources, including police services, other ministries, and the Office of the Chief Coroner. The information gathered is critical in tracking trends and developing ways to further improve road safety.

These latest statistics, in the Ontario Road Safety Annual Report, 2003, demonstrate that the ministry's road safety initiatives are working. Based on fatalities per 10,000 licensed drivers in 2003, Ontario's roads are the safest in North America. On this basis, Ontario is well ahead of other comparable neighbouring jurisdictions, such as New York (ranked 10^th), Quebec (11^th), Ohio (19^th), and Michigan (22^nd).

Other highlights of the 2003 ORSAR include:

• A 4.8 per cent reduction in the number of fatalities on Ontario's roads, from 873 in 2002 to 831 in 2003 - the lowest level since 1950;
• The number of licensed drivers increased, from 8,413,504 in 2002 to 8,541,555 in 2003, up 1.5 per cent; and,
• The number of registered motor vehicles increased, from 7,415,497 in 2002 to 7,603,372 in 2003, up 2.5 per cent.

MTO shares these achievements with its many road safety partners.

Ontario is making great strides, but more can be done. We must continue to be vigilant. Further reductions in the number of deaths and injuries on our roadways can only be achieved by identifying and addressing dangerous driving behaviour or other negative trends.

Success Through Partnership

Road user safety is one of the Ministry of Transportation's top priorities. The province's impressive road safety record is due to consistent and determined efforts by the government and our safety partners to continuously improve driver behaviour, vehicle condition and infrastructure safety.

At the provincial level, MTO works with partners such as the Ministry of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (including the Ontario Provincial Police).

MTO also works closely with municipal police services, community groups, other levels of government, and various safety organizations, to make our roads safer for all Ontarians.

Road Safety Vision 2010

In the fall of 2000, with the endorsement of all provincial/territorial ministers of transportation and highway safety, the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) adopted Road Safety Vision 2010. Ontario is an active partner in the effort to make Canada's roads the safest in the world.

The Road Safety Vision 2010 plan sets a national target of a 30 per cent reduction in the average number of road users killed or seriously injured during the 2008-2010 period compared to the 1996-2001 period.

To do this, the Road Safety Vision 2010 calls for a crackdown/focus in areas where the largest numbers of serious casualties occur. These targeted areas include: seat belt use, drinking and driving, high-risk drivers, collisions involving high-speed and intersection-related crashes, young drivers, commercial vehicle safety, vulnerable road users and rural road users.

Ontario continues to focus its efforts in areas of road safety that complement both the Road Safety Vision 2010 and address the needs of Ontario's road users.

Record Number of Drivers and Vehicles on Ontario Roads in 2003

In 2003, Ontario was home to 8.5 million licensed drivers, 7.6 million registered motor vehicles and 80,000 registered bus and truck companies. Our roads and highways move more than $1.2 trillion worth of goods to domestic and international markets each year. Millions of people rely on Ontario's transit systems, including GO Transit, to get to their destinations safely and on time. Keeping Ontario's people and goods moving safely and efficiently is a priority.

In 2003, the number of fatalities on Ontario's roads dropped to 831, down from 873 in 2002. This represents a 4.8 per cent improvement and puts the number of fatalities on the province's roadways at its lowest level since 1950.

At the same time, the number of serious injuries requiring hospitalization decreased from 4,355 in 2002 to 3,848 in 2003, a drop of 11.6 per cent. The number of minor injuries seen in an emergency room also decreased from 32,863 in 2002 to 30,401 in 2003, a drop of 7.5 per cent.

There is also improvement in the long-term trends related to injuries in motor vehicle collisions. Since 1999, the number of serious injuries decreased by 13.3 per cent, and minor injuries by 1.9 per cent. The 10-year trend is also positive, with a decrease in serious injuries by 36.1 per cent, and minor injuries by 12.9 per cent.

All these indicators point to the fact that, in addition to fatalities, major and minor injuries resulting from motor vehicle collisions are also declining.

One of the most common ways of assessing road safety is to calculate the number of fatalities during a given period for every 10,000 licensed drivers. Another common measure is the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled. These measures are used widely in North America and around the world to compare road safety from one jurisdiction to another.

In 2003, the number of persons killed in motor vehicle crashes per 10,000 licensed drivers in Ontario decreased to 0.97, down from 1.04 in 2002. The number of fatalities in motor vehicle collisions per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled remained the same in 2002 and 2003 (0.71).

While the year-over-year changes found in ORSAR provide a helpful report card on our progress, short term changes offer only a brief glimpse into the state of road safety in Ontario. ORSAR's most compelling contribution comes through the critical information it delivers covering a number of years. By looking at long-term trends, the ministry can identify anomalies limited to a single year and better assess and target the most serious threats to safety that we face on our roadways.

Number and Rate of Major and Minor Injuries: 1981-2003

Since 1981, the number of serious injuries (require hospitalization) decreased by 58 per cent, and the number of minor injuries (require a visit to the emergency room) decreased by 19 per cent. In 2003, the number of serious and minor injuries per 10,000 licensed drivers decreased to 40, down from 91 in 1981.

* Breakdown of injuries by severity started in 1981.

Number of Fatalities and Licensed Drivers: 1980-2003

The number of licensed drivers increased by 71 per cent from 1980 to 2003; in contrast, the number of fatalities decreased by 45 per cent over this period. From 1980 to 2003, the per-driver fatality rate (number of fatalities per 10,000 licensed drivers) decreased dramatically, by 68 per cent.

Number and Rate* of 16 to 19-Year-Old Drivers Killed and Injured: 1990-2003

Both the number and per capita rate of 16 to 19-year-old driver casualties (deaths and injuries) have declined, with a 37 per cent decline in number of casualties and a 44 per cent decline in the casualty rate since 1990.

* Number of injuries and fatalities per 100,000 population.

Number and Rate* of Drivers Aged 65 and Over Killed and Injured: 1990-2003

The number of drivers aged 65 and over killed and injured has increased from 1990 to 2003 by 20 per cent. In contrast, there was a 27 per cent lower casualty rate in 2003 than in 1990. However, the fatal collision involvement rate among drivers aged 65 and over continues to be higher than that of the general driving population.

* Number of fatalities and injuries per 10,000 licensed drivers.

Report on 2003 Road Safety Initiatives
Drinking and Driving

Drinking and driving is still a factor in about one quarter of all fatal collisions in Ontario. In addition to the death and injury caused by this crime, the social and economic costs of drinking and driving have been estimated at over $2 billion each year in Ontario.

There was an increase in the number of drinking and driving fatalities, from 193 in 2002 to 217 in 2003. However, there continues to be a positive long-term downward trend as significant progress has been made in reducing drinking and driving in the province. During the period from 1980 to 2003, the number of drinking and driving fatalities dropped by 56 per cent in Ontario.

MTO has developed strong partnerships with a variety of drinking and driving stakeholders (e.g., Ontario Community Council on Impaired Driving and Mothers Against Drunk Driving), police services, and other ministries (Attorney General, Community Safety and Correctional Services, and Health and Long-Term Care) to counter drinking and driving. The long-term drop in drinking and driving fatalities is due in large measure to our combined efforts. As well, Ontario has strict sanctions in place to address drinking and driving:

• Zero blood-alcohol level (BAC) for novice drivers;
• Administrative driver's licence suspensions, under which drivers who provide a sample over the legal limit (.08), or refuse a breathalyzer test, will have their driver's licence suspended immediately for 90 days;
• Mandatory assessment, education/treatment and follow-up for drinking drivers;
• Vehicle impoundment for driving while under a Criminal Code suspension; and,
• Mandatory Ignition Interlock devices for convicted drinking drivers. The devices prevent a vehicle from starting if it detects alcohol on the breath of the operator.

Under these tough measures, more than 4,764 lifetime suspensions have been issued since September 1998.

Over 88,825 suspensions have been issued since September 1998 requiring drivers to complete a remedial program.

Over 7,395 vehicles have been impounded since February 1999, when their drivers were caught driving while suspended (all driving-related Criminal Code suspensions; the majority for drinking and driving convictions).

Over 157,303 people have lost their licences for 90 days as a result of Ontario's Administrative Driver's Licence Suspension (ADLS) program since its introduction in November 1996.

As of the end of December 2004, 2,404 ignition interlocks had been installed in vehicles since the program came into effect. In 2003 alone, 887 ignition interlocks were installed in vehicles.

As always, the ministry is exploring new ways to further counter drinking and driving and target those who disregard both the law and the safety of others. For example, offenders who continue to drive a vehicle while their driver's licence is under suspension are a particular concern. The ministry is considering additional measures to stop this intolerable behaviour. How best to deal with drinking drivers at first point of contact with police is another area of active debate.

Under the Road Safety Vision 2010, one of the key targets set by Ontario and other Canadian jurisdictions is a 40 per cent decrease in the percentage of road users fatally or seriously injured in crashes involving drinking drivers in Canada. This is an ambitious target that we plan to achieve by working closely with our road safety partners.

Number and Rate* of Drinking Driver Fatalities: 1980-2003

Both the number of drinking driver fatalities and the number of drinking driver fatalities per 10,000 licensed drivers have declined dramatically from 1980 - by 56 per cent and 74 per cent, respectively. In absolute terms, the number of drinking driver fatalities dropped from 320 in 1980 to 141 in 2003. The number of drinking driver fatalities increased in 2003, although the graph shows a long-term positive trend for both indicators.

* Number of drinking driver fatalities per 10,000 licensed drivers.

Seat Belt Safety

In 1976, Ontario was the first province to make seat belts mandatory. Six years later, legislation was implemented to legally require the use of child car seats. Transport Canada estimates that, for every one per cent increase in seat belt use in Ontario, five lives are saved.

In September 2003, Transport Canada conducted an observational survey of seat belt use in urban communities across Canada. The results are as follows:

• In 2003, Ontario had an 86.1 per cent seat belt usage rate, down from 92.5 per cent in 2001. (The national average was 87.5 per cent);
• Ontario's 2003 seat belt usage rate for urban areas was 86.1 per cent;
• A 2002 survey of rural Ontario produced an 85.1 per cent usage rate;
• A higher percentage of female drivers wore seat belts (89.3 per cent) than male drivers (86.5 per cent).

MTO is committed to public education programs and targeted campaigns to promote proper seat belt and child car seat use. To achieve this goal, the ministry works with community groups, injury prevention advocates, public health professionals, police services and the private sector. The goal is to continue improving seat belt compliance throughout the province - with the ultimate goal of a compliance rate of 100 per cent.

Successful Spring and Fall Seat Belt Campaigns

Ontario conducts two seat belt campaigns every year, one in the spring and the other in fall, to raise awareness and promote compliance with seat belt and child car seat laws.

Ontario's annual Spring Seat Belt Campaign took place from April 12 to 20, 2003 with greater enforcement and community-based public education and child seat inspection clinics. These clinics, which were supported by MTO and staffed by trained inspectors, took place across the province.

During the 2003 Fall Seat Belt Campaign, held from September 27 to October 5, 87 per cent of drivers were wearing seat belts, down slightly from 88 per cent the previous year. The Ontario Provincial Police checked 580,822 vehicles and laid 12,976 charges for seat belt and child car seat violations.

Both the Spring and Fall seat belt campaigns feature a "Love Me - Buckle Me Right Day" during which community groups across the province hold child car seat inspection clinics to give parents and caregivers hands-on instruction in the proper installation and use of child car seats, including booster seats. Child car seat inspection clinic coordinators were encouraged to hold "Boost Me Up!" booster seat clinics as well. "Boost Me Up!" clinics help parents decide whether their child is ready to use a seat belt, or whether their child would be safer using a booster seat.

Pedestrian Safety

In 2003, there was an 8.4 per cent decline in the number of pedestrian fatalities in the province, dropping to 120 from 131 in 2002. While this is encouraging, pedestrian fatalities still made up 14.4 per cent of all motor vehicle fatalities in Ontario. Between 1999 and 2003, almost 15,500 pedestrians were killed or injured while crossing the road in Ontario. Further, in 2003, 50 per cent of pedestrian fatalities occurred at intersections and pedestrian crossings, up from 45 per cent in 2002.

These numbers demonstrate that more work needs to be done to make drivers aware of pedestrian crossings and to target those drivers who put others at risk.

The issue of pedestrian safety has been an especially big one in some of the province's largest urban centres, such as the City of Toronto.

The Ministry of Transportation is working with police, municipalities and more than 130 community groups across the province to promote road user safety, including partnerships that focus on pedestrian safety.

In March 2003, the ministry provided financial support for a major pedestrian safety campaign headed by a Greater Toronto Area group - The Injury Prevention Coalition (TIPC). The campaign included posters, brochures, media ads and bus shelter ads that depicted a fatal pedestrian collision and the slogan "Cross the street as if your life depends on it, because it does."

Ontario's aging population brings new challenges to pedestrian safety. Along with children, seniors have statistically been the most vulnerable group of pedestrians. It is estimated that the over-75-year-old population will double by 2031 and account for more than 10 per cent of the total population of Ontario. To keep the positive downward trend in pedestrian fatalities, it will be important to consider the needs of an aging population.

Speeding

Speed is one of the biggest killers on Ontario's roads.

In 2003, more than 363 people were killed, and almost 20,000 injured in the province by drivers who were speeding, going too fast for road conditions, or who lost control of their vehicle. Over the last five years, there were more than 1,900 fatalities and close to 100,000 injuries resulting from such collisions.

Based on Ontario's collision data, we know that drivers who exceed the speed limit by 30 km/h or more are about 6 times more likely to kill or injure themselves or other road users as compared to drivers who obey the speed limits.

Clearly, speeding is a significant contributing factor with respect to injuries and fatalities in the province. That's why the Ministry continues to investigate and develop new measures to counter speeding, including higher fines and demerit points, as well as driver's licence suspensions for those who drive at excessive speeds with no serious regard for human life.

Motorcycle Safety

In 2003, there were 52 motorcycle fatalities in Ontario, up from 38 in 2002. However, during that same period, the number of motorcycle injuries decreased from 1,472 to 1,355, a decline of eight per cent.

Over the long term, between 1988 and 2003, there has been a positive 67 per cent decline in the casualty rate per 10,000 motorcycle registrations.

While the long-term trend is encouraging, the Ministry continues to monitor the fatality and injury rates for motorcyclists.

Truck Safety

Ontario is a leader in commercial vehicle safety standards and enforcement with some of the most stringent truck safety laws in North America, including:

• Fines of up to $20,000 for unsafe trucks;
• Commercial Vehicle Impoundment for trucks and trailers with critical defects; and,
• Fines of up to $50,000 for wheel separation offences.

Between 2002 and 2003, the large truck population grew from 216,778 to 227,557 (up five per cent). During this same period, the number of fatalities resulting from collisions involving large trucks, dropped from 171 to 155, or 9.4 per cent.

In 2003/04, MTO conducted 144,420 commercial vehicle and driver inspections and carried out 797 facility audits on carriers' records. To date, more than 1,280 commercial vehicles have been impounded since the program began in 1998.

Number and Rate* of Fatalities in Large Truck Crashes; Large Truck Registrations: 1990-2003

Although the number of large trucks increased by 43 per cent, fatalities in large truck crashes have actually decreased by 21 per cent since 1990. Consequently, the number of fatalities per 100,000 large trucks has declined over this period by 45 per cent.

* Number of fatalities per 100,000 large truck registrations.

RoadCheck 2003

RoadCheck 2003, an international truck-safety inspection blitz, was held from June 3 through June 5, across Ontario. As in past years, the annual 72- hour safety blitz of commercial motor vehicles was carried out simultaneously by officials in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

RoadCheck's results are measured by the out-of-service rate - which is the number of vehicles taken off the road for having mechanical defects. It is expressed as a percentage of the total number of vehicles inspected.

During the blitz, MTO enforcement officers at 33 truck inspection stations province-wide completed 4,113 safety inspections. Ontario's RoadCheck compliance rate in 2003 was 79.9 per cent. Since the mid-1990s, the compliance rate in Ontario has improved by 41 per cent.

Operation Air Brake 2003

Operation Air Brake is an international truck safety initiative focusing on the inspection of commercial vehicle air brake systems. Every year, Ontario conducts two 12-hour air brake inspection blitzes for commercial vehicles.

In the 2003 Operation Air Brake initiative, Ontario had a 6.2 per cent out-of-service rate for brake adjustment. This compares to an identical 6.2 per cent average within Canada and 12 per cent throughout North America. In 2003, Ontario enforcement officers inspected more trucks during this event than any other Canadian jurisdiction (1,854 of the 6,013 inspections - 31 per cent.)

Creating a Balanced Transportation System

Ontario's economy depends on a balanced transportation system which can move people and goods safely and efficiently. That's why it's critical for the government to invest in the province's highways and public transit systems in order to ease congestion and increase transit ridership.

Investing in Transit

According to the Canadian Urban Transit Association, transit is the safest mode of urban travel. By distance travelled, the fatality rate for transit passengers in Canadian cities is five per cent of that for automobile passengers. In addition to promoting safety, transit also helps ease congestion, protects the environment and helps Ontario's economy.

During 2003, the Ontario government made significant progress in expanding and promoting public transit. Some of the highlights are listed below.

• GTA Transit Fare Card: The GTA Transit Fare Card partnership will introduce a region-wide fare card that will offer a seamless trip for riders using multiple transit systems.
• Bus Rapid Transit System: The province has committed $67 million to help build the first phase of a bus rapid transit system across the Greater Toronto Area.
• 10-Year Capital Plan: The GO Transit 10- Year Capital Expansion Plan addresses ridership and growth pressures, and includes building new stations, improvements to Union Station, expanding parking lots and additional trains to support future expansion of rail service across the Golden Horseshoe.

In 2003, the province also invested $100.3 million to improve and renew public transit in 43 municipalities. This included incentive funding for municipalities that had been successful in increasing transit ridership and incorporating alternatively fuelled/low emission vehicles into their transit fleets.

MTO continues to work on a number of other ideas designed to improve the efficiency of transit and transportation systems. These programs include:

• Investing in dedicated lanes for high occupancy vehicles;
• Investing in bus bypass shoulders;
• Planning for and investing in needed carpool lots;
• Planning for future opportunities to integrate multi-modal corridors; and,
• Developing legislation to support public transit.

Infrastructure Investments

Ensuring that Ontario's highways are safe and in good condition is a priority of MTO.

The ministry oversees the maintenance and operation of 16,500 kilometres of highways; more than 2,500 bridges/structures; 29 remote airports and eight ferry services.

In 2003, the Ontario Government invested more than $1 billion to expand and rehabilitate Ontario's highway network.

Several key highway projects included:

• Widening sections of Highway 401 in Southwestern and Eastern Ontario;
• Widening Highway 11 from Huntsville to North Bay;
• Widening Highway 69 from Parry Sound to Sudbury;
• Adding lanes to Highway 401 through Toronto;
• Widening portions of Highway 8 and making interchange improvements in Kitchener; and,
• Extending Highway 417 in the Ottawa area.

Partnership With The Federal Government

In 2003, the governments of Canada and Ontario announced more than $1.8 billion in joint-funding for transportation improvements in the province, including highways, public transit and border crossings.

In November of 2003, the governments of Canada and Ontario signed a $336 million infrastructure agreement that will greatly improve the overall condition of the province's highways.

Under the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP), the two levels of government agreed to provide equal shares of $168 million for 10 highway improvement projects designed to increase safety, ease gridlock, and support economic development across the province.

The 10 projects are being carried out on Highway 401, Highway 69/400, and Highway 17, covering southern, eastern, central and northern Ontario. The improvements focus on expansions to highway capacity and improvements to safety by delivering: new lanes, divided highways, new highway alignments, and a major safety initiative to construct a concrete barrier wall.

Border Crossings

The safe and efficient flow of traffic at our border crossings is critical to Ontario's future prosperity. That's why we are constantly working with all levels of government in both Canada and the United States to invest in new infrastructure and technologies to speed up the flow of cross-border traffic.

2003 was a critical year. Increased security issues and a shift from air to road travel put increased pressure on Ontario's crossings into the United States. Ontario worked hard with neighbouring jurisdictions and other governments to relieve congestion at our borders.

The discussions and work done in 2003 contributed significantly to a series of announcements, made the following year, designed to improve highways and bridges that make up our border infrastructure. These initiatives included:

• The signing of a joint $300 million Memorandum of Understanding for a package of projects to help improve the Windsor Gateway;
• The signing of agreements totalling $323 million in funding to expand and improve highways and bridges in the Niagara, Sarnia and London areas;
• The signing of a Memorandum of Agreement that will lead to traffic and safety improvements at the Sarnia/Point Edward border crossing.

Investing in new technology is also proving vital to ensuring the smooth operation of our border crossings. For example, over the past few years, when the United States Customs and the bridge authorities were at capacity in processing trucks at crossings in the Niagara Peninsula, long truck queues would develop. Significant queue lengths can present safety concerns as drivers may be unable to stop safely before the end of a queue, resulting in serious collisions.

The solution was a Queue-end Warning system (QWS) to provide accurate and effective warnings to motorists. Flashing beacons on static message boards that indicate, "Watch for Slow Traffic" are activated and a dynamic message at the bottom of the sign shows the distance to the end of queue.

Queue End Warning Systems were installed on the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) towards the Peace Bridge and on Highway 405 towards the Queenston Lewiston Bridge.

With the events of September 11, 2001, the issue of driver licensing and identification, safety and security has received much attention within Ontario, as well as internationally. This is mainly because a driver's licence is one of the few government issued documents with a photograph and is commonly used for identification purposes.

Given the serious implications of having fraudulent driver's licences used either as identification or for driving illegally, there is a pressing need to further safeguard public interest. Ontario has worked closely with other North American licensing authorities on establishing standards for enhanced security features on driver's licence cards as well as recommendations for improving driver's licence issuing and production processes.

Based on the new framework, Ontario has already incorporated new security features on the current driver's licence card, strengthening licensing business processes, and developing a new, more secure driver's licence, to be introduced in 2006.

By ensuring greater integrity of the licence card and the issuing process, the Ministry of Transportation is fostering greater reciprocity between jurisdictions and mobility of Ontario road users within North America.

ITS Investments

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) is an expanding field. It represents the marriage of high-tech communications and information systems with transportation. The goal of these investments is to improve safety and efficiency on our roadways. Ontario is a leader in this area, and the ministry is continuing to invest in ITS technologies which result in better service for road users.

For example, in 2003, MTO continued to expand the COMPASS freeway traffic management system. The system enables MTO to detect and respond to incidents on major provincial freeways in the greater Toronto and Ottawa areas, quickly improving both safety and efficiency of these vital corridors. The public can view images of current traffic conditions along Highway 401 and on the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), as well as receive traffic reports on provincial highways from MTO's TRIS (Traffic and Road Information System), by logging on to MTO's website: www.compass.gov.on.ca.

Also in 2003, the ministry took significant steps toward improving the way it provides traffic information to drivers. It did this by installing seven new Changeable Message Signs (CMS) on Highway 401 between Birchmount Road and Morningside Avenue and one on Highway 400 northbound in Barrie, south of the Highway 11/Highway 400 split.

Planning for the Future

To prepare for growth and ensure that Ontario can meet its future transportation needs, the ministry initiated the environmental assessment process for several key transportation corridors. This includes the Environmental Assessment Terms of Reference for the Greater Toronto Area to Niagara Transportation Corridor and the Highway 407 East Completion.

Ontario's Newest Road Safety Initiatives

1. An Act to Enhance the Safety of Children and Youth on Ontario's Roads (Bill 73)

While ORSAR has reported Ontario's declining fatality rate in previous years, other sources have suggested motor vehicle collisions are still the leading cause of death and injury for children and youth.

To protect children and youth, the Minister of Transportation introduced Bill 73. The key elements of the legislation, which passed, in the Legislature, in December 2004, are identified below.

Making Booster Seats Mandatory

In 1976, Ontario was the first province in Canada to make the use of seat belts mandatory. Research shows booster seats protect against serious injury 3.5 times better than seat belts and protect against head injury four times better than seat belts. The province continues to be a leader in promoting seat belt safety through this new legislation, which requires infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers and primary grade-age children to be buckled up in the appropriate child seat, including booster seats.

Passenger Restrictions for Novice Drivers

Research shows that younger novice drivers operating a motor vehicle with teenaged companions as passengers are at an increased risk of death or injury due to a collision. To further protect youth on our roads, regulations proposed under this new Act would further strengthen the province's successful Graduated Licensing System (GLS) by placing restrictions on the number of young passengers a G2 driver can have in the car at certain times of the day.

Initially, G2 drivers 19 and under would only be able to carry one passenger. After six months, or until the driver turns 20, up to three passengers aged 19 and under would be allowed. Under a proposed regulation, these new restrictions would apply between midnight and 5 a.m. However, they would not apply to G2 drivers accompanied by a fully licenced driver with at least four years driving experience, or if the passengers are family members.

The specific details of these proposed restrictions are pending, through the development of regulation changes under the Highway Traffic Act.

Improving School Bus Safety

Finally, this new law will improve school bus safety by allowing vehicle owners to be charged when their vehicle illegally passes a stopped school bus. As well, all new school buses will have new safety features including a safety-crossing arm to prevent children from walking into the vehicle's blind spot at the front of the bus, as of January 2005.

2. Transit & Road Safety Bill

The Transit and Road Safety Bill was introduced in the Legislature on February 21, 2005, by the Minister of Transportation. It proposes wide-ranging changes that will improve safety and reduce congestion on roads and highways across the province.

The Transit and Road Safety Bill would, if passed:

• Improve safety on local roads by increasing fines and harmonizing demerit points for drivers who do not stop or yield the right of way at pedestrian and school crossings;
• Enhance safety by requiring motorists to remain stopped at school crossings;
• Improve safety for construction workers by doubling speeding fines in construction zones, allowing municipal staff to set speed limits in municipal construction zones, and creating an offence for disobeying a traffic slow and stop sign;
• Increase safety and reduce congestion by allowing Variable Speed Limit systems to suit road and weather conditions;
• Increase fines for speeding 30-34 km/h over the posted speed limit and allow the courts to impose longer driver licence suspensions for convicted repeat offenders who speed 50 km/h over the limit;
• Allow all municipalities to set 30 km/h speed limit in areas where traffic calming measures are in place (e.g., speed bumps);
• Create an offence for flying vehicle parts;
• Improve daily commercial vehicle inspection standards;
• Introduce demerit points for using speed measuring warning devices;
• Clear the way to designate and enforce High Occupancy Vehicle lanes to encourage carpooling;
• Provide the authority to designate Bus Bypass Shoulders;
• Allow land to be dedicated for new carpool lots and transit stations during planning stages;
• Improve transit commute times by allowing transit vehicles to pre-empt traffic signals to lengthen a green light or change a red light to green sooner;
• Introduce higher penalties for the fraudulent use of a driver's licence;
• Allow for the use of studded tires by residents of Northern Ontario;
• Allow for faster clearance of highway incidents by clarifying police powers to remove, or order the removal of vehicles and debris;
• Provide authority to gather data through roadside surveys in support of transportation planning;
• Create an offence for taxi/limousine owners, arrangers and drivers to carry passengers without required permits/licences;
• Recover the cost of demerit point interviews from drivers who must attend these interviews due to poor driving behaviour; and
• Make enhancements to driver education.

3. iDRIVE

In 2004, the Ministry of Transportation, Ontario Community Council on Impaired Driving (OCCID), Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving (OSAID) and The Student Life Education Company launched a new public education program called iDRIVE.

iDRIVE is intended to raise awareness among drivers under the age of 25 about the risks and consequences of aggressive and unsafe driving practices.

The road safety content of the iDRIVE program includes: impaired driving, aggressive driving, driver distraction, and drowsy driving.

The program includes a video presentation and presenter's guide to be used in regional showcase presentations to promote the program. As well, 1,000 copies have been distributed to police, public health and road safety groups for use in classroom presentations across Ontario.

4. Gas Tax Funding for Public Transit

The government is investing more than $1 billion over the next five years in public transit across Ontario through provincial gas tax funding. 83 transit systems, serving 110 municipalities, are currently benefiting from this investment, helping to lead to more than 33 million new transit riders by 2007.

This provincial gas tax funding gives municipalities stable, long term funding so they can better plan, and improve their transit systems so that more people will choose transit.

Conclusion

Ontario has the safest roads in North America, as measured by the number of fatalities per 10,000 licensed drivers. But the ministry continues to face road safety challenges due to a variety of issues, including the growing number of drivers and vehicles on our roadways.

The ministry is improving road safety and mobility by promoting and regulating driver licensing and fitness, responsible driving behaviour, vehicle fitness and infrastructure improvement. Working in close partnership with police, community groups, industry, municipalities and safety organizations, the ministry will continue to make our roads even safer. With initiatives such as the recently passed measures that increase school bus safety, require the use of booster seats and strengthen the rules for novice drivers, we will help make our roads safer for young Ontarians.

Through innovative and effective education, legislation and enforcement, we will continue in our efforts to save the users of Ontario's roadways from preventable death and injury.

Recommendations for Promoting Further Improvements to Road Safety in Ontario

The ministry will continue to promote new ways to improve safety on our roads. Based on the results of the 2003 Ontario Road Safety Annual Report, MTO is actively working on many related initiatives.

Issues Targeted in the Transit & Road Safety Bill (Introduced February 21, 2005):

• Reducing the number of pedestrians who are killed on our roadways;
• Considering benefits of tougher penalties to counter aggressive driving behaviour, including higher fines and/or demerit points for those who travel at excessive speeds;
• Working to improve construction zone safety on municipal roads and provincial highways;
• Supporting initiatives aimed at improving public transit to relieve congestion and improve traffic flow and safety on our roadways; and,
• Working with the trucking industry on initiatives that will support Ontario's position as a leader in commercial vehicle safety.

Other issues MTO is working on include:

• Considering ways to strengthen the consequences for repeat drinking and driving offences and for operating a vehicle while driving under licence suspension due to a drinking and driving offence;
• Working with other ministries to find ways of reducing the courtroom backlog that exists because of drinking and driving cases before the court;
• Supporting other ministries such as the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services with its front-line activities that address drinking and driving;
• Polling the provinces and other jurisdictions to uncover new and innovative public education practices that could be adopted or imported for use in Ontario. The jurisdictions selected have a reputation for being leaders in addressing drinking and driving;
• Working with police and our other road safety partners to develop the appropriate sanctions, deterrents and effective counter measures against drug-impaired driving;
• Continuing to work with road safety partners to determine what can be done to increase seat belt use and to promote the use of child seats and booster seats;
• Building on the measures contained in Bill 73, An Act to Enhance the Safety of Children and Youth on Ontario's Roads, to further improve road safety for young people, including reviewing input received from the Chief Coroner and stakeholder groups on enhancing school bus safety;
• Continuing to monitor the fatality and injury rates for motorcyclists;
• Continuing to work on research and initiatives to address the dangers of driver distraction and driver fatigue;
• Investing in a balanced transportation system that supports safe and efficient provincial highways and public transit;
• Continuing to use state-of-the-art information and communications technologies for safer and more efficient travel;
• Working with federal and municipal partners to continue to improve the safe flow of people and goods at international crossings; and,
• Working toward achievement of the goals identified in Road Safety Vision 2010's national strategy for safer roads.