Ontario Remembers Victims Of Road Collisions
November 18, 2009 5:00 AM
McGuinty Government Helping Reduce Drinking And Driving
To mark the second annual National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims, Ontario is reminding all motorists to never get behind the wheel of a car if they are impaired.
In Ontario, drinking and driving is one of the leading causes of death and is a contributing factor in nearly one quarter of all fatal collisions. That is why Ontario has some of the toughest impaired driving laws in North America, including immediate 90-day driver's licence suspension and ignition interlock for drivers caught with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher.
These laws got even tougher on May 1, 2009, when Ontario put in place new sanctions targeting drivers with a BAC of 0.05 to 0.08 (the "warn range"). Drivers within this range now face immediate roadside suspensions of three to 30 days.
QUICK FACTS
- This is the second year that the National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims has been recognized in Canada. The year's theme is "Raising awareness of the number of deaths on Canadian roads."
- Statistics show that Ontario's efforts to curb drinking and driving are working. In 2008, Ontario had the lowest impaired driving offence rate in Canada - 43.1 per cent lower than the national average.
- A driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) between 0.05 and 0.08 is about seven times more likely to be in a fatal collision than a driver who hasn't been drinking at all. This risk increases further with higher BAC levels.
- In 2006, drinking and driving was a leading contributory factor in road deaths with 190 fatalities.
LEARN MORE
CONTACTS
- Bob Nichols
Communications Branch
416-327-1158
Bob.Nichols@ontario.ca
- Nicole Lippa-Gasparro
Minister's Office
416-327-1815
Nicole.Lippa-Gasparro@ontario.ca
ontario.ca/transportation
"This is our nation's day to remember the victims of traffic collisions, honour their lives, mourn their deaths, and acknowledge that together we must do everything we can to prevent future serious injuries and deaths on our roads."
– Jim Bradley
Minister of Transportation
"Whether their deaths were the result of a senseless act like impaired driving or by some other means, taking the time to remember the victims of road collisions, helps us, as a society, think about the consequences of dangerous driving behaviours and focus on finding solutions that will help reduce the loss of life on our roads."
– Margaret Miller
MADD National President
Communities
