Canada aims to make roads safest in the world

OTTAWA – A few days after announcing that the traffic death toll in Canada is the lowest in almost 60 years, the country’s transport ministers announced a goal to improve road safety even further.

The Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety have approved a new five-year Road Safety Strategy to be used by jurisdictions to develop federal/provincial/territorial action plans which "address key highway safety concerns and priorities for their respective and unique situations."

"Road Safety Strategy 2015 will carry on the progress that has been achieved in reducing fatalities and serious injuries on Canada’s roads since 1996 when Canada’s first road safety plan was introduced," a press release stated.

The provisional fatality total for 2009 is 8.7 percent lower than the number of road users killed in traffic crashes the year before and represents a 25.1-percent reduction over the 1996-2001 baseline figure.

This is the lowest death toll on record in Canada in more than 60 years.

"The number of road fatalities and serious injuries is declining nationwide," said Luke Ouellette, Minister of Transportation of Alberta and Co-Chair of the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety. "These results are encouraging and we look forward to continued improvement over the next five years."

The unveiling of Road Safety Strategy 2015 coincides with the National Year of Road Safety in 2011, which aims to raise public awareness and promote road safety activities nationwide.

Road Safety Strategy 2015 will be officially launched at CCMTA’s 2011 Annual Meeting, held May 15-19, 2011, in Victoria, B.C.