Canadian Road Safety News Digest

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Ian Mulgrew: Expanded B.C. roadside suspension policy expected to deal with drugged driving

Vancouver Sun (VANCOUVER, B.C.) Victoria is expected to amend the Immediate Roadside Prohibition scheme to include drug impairment or to create a similar anti-drug-driving program as the country legalizes marijuana next year. A broader IRP regime would prevent drug-impaired-driving charges…

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Drug and Alcohol Roadside Survey confirms drug use by drivers: Manitoba Public Insurance

MPI (WINNIPEG, MANITOBA) One in 10 Manitoba drivers who participated in voluntary roadside surveys conducted last fall tested positive for drugs, according to findings released from the Manitoba Drug and Alcohol Roadside Survey, Crown Services Minister Ron Schuler and Manitoba…

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Ottawa wants tougher national standard for distracted drivers using cellphones

TheStar.com (OTTAWA, ONTARIO) Transport Minister Marc Garneau is calling for the creation of a tough national standard to penalize distracted drivers using their cellphones on the road. Garneau said Wednesday that having consistent national rules with stiffer fines and demerit…

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The ‘stiffest’ in Canada: A look at P.E.I.’s new impounding penalties for impaired driving

CBC News (CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI) Police on P.E.I. will soon have new powers to impound vehicles, powers designed to discourage impaired and dangerous driving. “To deal with offenders, who are multiple ones, who it doesn’t seem to matter whether there’s fines…

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‘Ellen’s law’: Calls for road safety changes after death of star N.B. cyclist

CTV News (MONCTON, N.B.) Cyclists rallied in Moncton, N.B., Sunday to demand their government make it illegal for vehicles to come within one metre of bicyclists. Some of the roughly 100 demonstrators held up signs demanding “One Metre for Ellen”…

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‘Safety is job number one,’ says Toronto’s new transportation chief

Toronto Metro (TORONTO, ONTARIO) Toronto’s new transportation chief has a message for drivers: sharing is caring. In her first public appearance since arriving in the city nine days ago, Barbara Gray spoke Tuesday about the need for Toronto’s roadways to…

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Zero expectations drive efforts to drastically reduce traffic-related deaths in Canada

Parachute (TORONTO, ONTARIO) Transport-related incidents remain one of the leading causes of injury and death in Canada. Parachute, a national injury prevention charity, wants to reduce these incidents to zero by adopting strategies first introduced in Sweden as Vision Zero….

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Marijuana legalization and road safety: CAA-Quebec issues recommendations

Canada Newswire (QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC) Less than one year from the deadline established by the federal government as part of its plan to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, CAA‑Quebec is endorsing the recommendations made by the Traffic Injury Research…

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Transport Canada’s actions to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians on Canada’s roadways

Transport Canada (OTTAWA, ONTARIO) Transport Canada is always looking at ways to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety. The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, recently announced that Transport Canada and the provinces and territories will establish a new task force…

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Transport ministers won’t commit to criminalizing distracted driving

Global News (TORONTO, ONTARIO) Transport ministers from across Canada seemed to have mixed feelings about the criminalization of distracted driving on Wednesday as they met in Toronto. Quebec’s transport minister, Laurent Lessard, asked Ottawa to consider criminalizing distracted driving last month. Global News used this…