Minister's Message

I am pleased to present Ontario's Road Safety Annual Report for 2005.

This report shows that Ontario continues to be a world leader in road safety, based on a comparison of fatality rates for all jurisdictions across Canada, the United States, and the 30 member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In 2005, the number of fatalities on Ontario's roads declined for a third year in a row, from 799 in 2004, to a new record low of 766 in 2005, the lowest number of fatalities since 1948. This is encouraging as there are more motor vehicles registered in this province than ever before.

Highlights from 2005 include:

• Fewer fatalities and injuries overall
• Fewer fatalities and injuries from drinking and driving-related collisions
• Fewer fatalities involving large trucks
• Fewer fatalities in collisions involving wild animals

Ontario's road safety achievements are the result of a collaborative effort involving the provincial government, municipalities, police services, the public health sector, road safety stakeholders, and communities across Ontario to educate Ontarians and enforce our traffic laws. Together, we work to continuously improve driver behaviour, protect pedestrians, enhance vehicle fitness, and increase infrastructure safety for everyone living in or visiting this province.

With the passage of the Transportation Statute Law Amendment Act, 2005 (Bill 169) on November 21, 2005, Ontario took steps to address key road safety issues in this province by targeting the worst drivers on our roads and introducing new measures to ease traffic congestion and increase ridership on public transit.

I believe we are making a positive difference for this province and look forward to even better results in the future. As you read through the 2005 report, I am sure you, too, will share my pride in Ontario's road safety record.

Yours sincerely,

Jim Bradley
Minister of Transportation