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An Update on the Progress of Road Safety Vision 2010

 A banner of a train, road, jet, a marine port, a security checkpoint, a highway, a child in a child seat and a moving car

Table of Contents

THE Transportation Safety Issue: 94% of all fatalities (2009) occurred on the road
94% of all fatalities (2009) occurred on the road - pie graph: Road - 2,209; Rail: 71; Air: 64; Marine: 16

Background / Context

Road Safety Vision 2001

  • In 1996, a plan was adopted by the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) and endorsed by the Ministers of Transportation and Highway Safety.
    • Implemented to address leveling off of annual reductions in fatalities and injuriesand to re-energize stakeholders to utilize collaborative approaches

Road Safety Plan 2010

  • In 2001, Road Safety Vision 2001 was revised and renewed for a 9 year period.
  • RSV 2010 contains a strategic direction for road safety, including: a vision, strategic objectives and targets for reductions in fatalities and serious injuries.
  • Our Vision: Safest roads in the world
  • Strategic Objectives:
    • To raise public awareness of road safety issues
    • To improve communication, cooperation and collaboration among road safety agencies
    • To enhance enforcement measures
    • To improve national road safety data collection and quality
  • The targets include a National Target and a series of sub-targets.
  • National target: 30% decrease in the average number of road users killed or seriously injured during the 2008-2010 period over comparable 1996-2001 figures
    • For Canada, it means fewer than 2,100 fatalities and less than 11,600 serious injuries annually

RSV 2010 Sub-Targets

The scene of a car crash.Increase:

  • Seat belt and proper child restraint use (95%)

Decrease fatalities and serious injuries involving:

  • Unbelted occupants (40%)
  • Drinking Drivers (40%)
  • Rural roadways (40%)
  • Vulnerable Road Users (30%)
  • Speed and intersections (20%)
  • Commercial vehicles (20%)
  • Young drivers/riders (20%)

RSV 2010 Target Updates

Seat Belt Use Among Light Duty Vehicle Occupants – Canada –2002-2003-2009-2010
Seat Belt Use Among Light Duty Vehicle Occupants – Canada –2002-2003-2009-2010: 2002-2003: 87.4%; 2004-2005: 90.5%; 2006-2007: 92.5%; 2009-2010: 95.3%

An unbuckled seat-beltUnbelted Occupants

Current Situation:
During 2009, approximately 35% of fatally injured occupants and 16% of those seriously injured were unbelted at the time of collision.

  • 28% fewer deaths & 50% fewer serious injuries.

Drinking and Driving

An ambulanceCurrent Situation:
Crashes involving drinking drivers accounted for about 34% of all road users killed on public roadways.

  • 18% reduction in the number road users killed involving drinking drivers.

Rural Road Safety

A car coming down a curved road.Current Situation:
50% of all road user fatalities and 27% of serious injuries occurred on undivided roads with posted speed limits of 80 km/h or higher.

Fatalities and serious injuries have followed a steady downward trend for the past four years.

People crossing the road.Vulnerable Road Users

Current Situation:
One in four fatally or seriously injured victims was a vulnerable road user (pedestrian, motorcyclist or cyclist).

  • Pedestrian and cyclist casualty situation improving
  • Motorcyclist casualty situation stabilizing

Speed & Intersection Safety

A traffic lightCurrent Situation:
Nationally, 28% of fatalities and 40% of serious injuries occurred at intersections and 25% of fatalities and 19% of serious injuries involved excess or inappropriate speed.

Deaths and serious injuries that occurred at intersections or that involved excess speed are decreasing.

A truck travelling down the highway.Commercial Vehicles

Current Situation:
In Canada, 20% of fatalities and 9% of serious injuries involve crashes with heavy commercial vehicles (> 4,536 kg).

  • Substantial decrease in number of serious casualties in commercial vehicle related crashes during past two years
  • Deaths per billion vkm travelled decreasing

Young Drivers

Two young males in a car.Current Situation:
Young drivers (16-19 years) are over-represented as serious crash victims.

  • Prevalence of high-risk behaviours
  • The number of fatally and seriously injured young drivers decreased substantially during 2008-2009

RSV 2010 Progress
Non-Quantitative Indicators

  • Engagement, awareness, collaboration of provincial/territorial government stakeholders
    • 3-year action plans focusing on drinking driving, non-use of seat belts and speeding/aggressive driving
    • Adoption of jurisdictional road safety action plans (e.g. Alberta)
  • Buy–in to RSV and engagement by police services
    • Adoption of elements of RSV into business plans
    • Focused enforcement and public education
  • Active engagement/buy-in to the development of the successor strategy
  • Growing awareness of road safety issues among decision makers and willingness to consider tougher measures (e.g. random breath testing)

2009 & 2007-2009 Progress
Overall National Target

Fatalities

  • 2009: -25.4%
  • 2007-2009: -16.8%

Serious Injuries:

  • 2009: -27.4%
  • 2007-2009: -21.3%

Progress Toward the RSV 2010 Fatality Reduction Sub-Targets –2007-2009 Ave. vs. 1996-2001 baseline
Progress Toward the RSV 2010 Fatality Reduction Sub-Targets –2007-2009 Ave. vs. 1996-2001 baseline: National Target - 56.0%; Unbelted Occupants - 56.0%; Drinking Driving - 2.3%; Speed - 53.0%; Intersections - 92.0%; Commercial Vehicle - 71.5%; Young Drivers - 91.5%; Rural Roads - 63.3%; Vulnerable Road Users - 19.3%

Progress Toward the RSV 2010 Serious Injury Reduction Sub-Targets –2007-2009 Ave. vs. 1996-2001 baseline
Progress Toward the RSV 2010 Serious Injury Reduction Sub-Targets –2007-2009 Ave. vs. 1996-2001 baseline: National Target - 71.0%; Unbelted Occupants - 91.8%; Drinking Driving - 11.0%; Speed - 32.5%; Intersections - 107.0%; Commercial Vehicle - 128.0%; Young Drivers - 104.5%; Rural Roads - 99.0%; Vulnerable Road Users - -3%

Canada - Contextual Information: 2007-2009

  • Progress should be assessed in conjunction with the changes in the mobility of the Canadian public.
  • Growth Indicators (2007-09 vs. baseline):
    • Motor Vehicles Registered: 18.7%;
    • Licenced Drivers: 11.8%;
    • Population: 11.0%
    • Vehicle kilometres travelled: 8.3%

Canada - Fatalities versus Traffic & Gross Domestic Product 2002 - 2009
Canada - Fatalities versus Traffic & Gross Domestic Product 2002 -2009

Fatalities - 2008-2009 versus 2007

  • 2008-2009 average reduction: 16.2%
  • Non-use of occupant restraints: -14.4%
  • Alcohol use: -4.0%
  • Rural roads: -17.7%
  • Vulnerable road users: -19.8%
  • Commercial vehicles: -18% (vkm: -5.6% )
  • Young drivers:(16-19 yrs.): -23.2%; (vkm: -13%)
  • Speed: -25.6%
  • Intersections: -16%

Serious injuries - 2008-2009 versus 2007

  • 2008-2009 average reduction: 21.3%
  • Non-use of occupant restraints: -25.6%
  • Alcohol use: -2.0%
  • Rural roads: -19%
  • Vulnerable road users: -10.9%
  • Commercial vehicles: -18.5%
  • Young drivers:(16-19 yrs.): -17.7%
  • Speed: -20.8%
  • Intersections: -12.2%

Improvement in Canada’s Level of Road Safety Through Two National Road Safety Plans Traffic Fatalities 1996-2010
Improvement in Canada’s Level of Road Safety Through Two National Road Safety PlansTraffic Fatalities 1996-2010

Canada’s Serious Injury Trend to 2009 vs. RSV 2010 Serious Injury Target
Canada’s Serious Injury Trend to 2009 vs. RSV 2010 Serious Injury Target

Canada's 2009 Road Safety Ranking Among OECD Member Countries
Canada's 2009 Road Safety Ranking Among OECD Member Countries: Great Britain - 4.4; Sweden - 4.4; Netherlands - 5.0; Finland - 5.2; Norway - 5.4; Switzerland - 5.7; Ireland - 5.7; Germany - 6.0; Canada - 6.5; Isreal - 6.5; Australia - 6.7; United States - 7.1

Conclusion

  • The latest information indicates that Canada has made considerable progress towards achieving the RSV 2010 targets.
  • Final assessment of improved level of road safety in Canada resulting from RSV 2010 initiative will be made when 2010 crash data become available.


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Date modified:
2011-07-18