It's Canada Road Safety Week

OPP News Release

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Orillia – This year's Canada Road Safety Week Campaign runs from May 14 - 21. The Ontario Provincial Police, its road safety partners and community organizations are working together to save lives and prevent injuries on Ontario roadways caused by impaired driving, aggressive driving behaviours and the non-compliance of occupant restraints.

“The OPP is committed to reducing the number of roadway injuries and saving lives on Ontario’s highways, trails and waterways through it’s proactive and sustainable approach to traffic safety directed at high-risk behaviours which are the major factors in fatal and serious injury collisions,” Commissioner Julian Fantino said.

“Some motorists still don’t realize that they are placing their lives and those of their passengers, including children, at risk by drinking and driving, driving aggressively and by not using seat belts or child restraint systems.”

The annual Canada Road Safety Week Campaign proactively raises the motoring public’s awareness of the importance of safe driver behaviour and supports the national long-term goal of reducing fatal and serious injury collisions and making Canada’s roadways the safest in the world.

Last year, 444 people died on roadways under OPP jurisdiction, including 111 who were not wearing seatbelts. More than 12% per cent of all fatalities were the result of drivers being impaired by alcohol or drugs.

The OPP is responsible for more than 922,752 square kilometres of land and 110,398 square kilometres of waterways.

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