Near the Top in Road Safety

Nova Scotia has one of the safest driving records in the country according to national traffic collision statistics.

The province has the third lowest rate of injuries, and the fourth lowest rate of fatalities compared to other provincial and territorial roads. The data is reported in the 2002 Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics publication.

"Our road safety record is improving, but collision rates are still too high," said Transportation and Public Works Minister Ron Russell. "We will work to reduce these rates even more over the coming years."

Nova Scotia is working with police, industry, and other organizations to reach benchmarks set by Road Safety Vision 2010, a national plan that aims to reduce the number of road users killed and seriously injured by 2010. The province's Road Safety Advisory Committee assists government in developing road safety priorities and programs.

In 2002, Nova Scotia had 912.4 injuries and 13.5 fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers. The rates in Canada are 1076.3 and 13.9 respectively. The 2002 Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics also show that Nova Scotia had the third lowest rate on the basis of traffic deaths per billion vehicle kilometres travelled.

Deaths and hospitalizations due to motor vehicle collisions have noticeably declined across Canada in recent decades. For example, since 1982 the road traffic death rate has declined by almost 50 per cent in Canada, and almost 60 per cent in Nova Scotia. This decrease has occurred despite increasing numbers of vehicles and licensed drivers on our roads.

More information on the 2002 Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics can be found on the website at www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/tp/tp3322/2002/menu.htm .

NOTE TO EDITORS: Below is an outline of Road Safety Vision 2010 benchmarks. The target calls for a 30 per cent decrease in the average number of road users killed or seriously injured during the 2009-2010 period compared with 1996-2001 average figures.

The sub-targets call for:

• A 95 per cent compliance rate of seatbelt wearing and proper use of appropriate child restraints by all motor vehicle occupants.
• A 40 per cent decrease in the number of fatally- or seriously- injured unbelted occupants.
• A 40 per cent decrease in the percentage of road users fatally or seriously injured in crashes involving drinking drivers.
• A 40 per cent decrease in the number of road users fatally or seriously injured on rural roadways (defined as roads where the speed limit is 80-90 km/hr).
• A 20 per cent decrease in the number of road users fatally or seriously injured in speed- or intersection-related crashes.
• A 20 per cent decrease in the number of road users fatally or seriously injured in crashes involving commercial vehicles.
• A 20 per cent decrease in the number of young drivers/riders (those aged 16-19 years) killed or seriously injured in crashes.
• A 30 per cent decrease in the number of fatally or seriously injured vulnerable road users (pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists).
• A 20 per cent decrease in the number of road users fatally or seriously injured in crashes involving high-risk drivers.