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Canadian Road Safety News Digest – August 1-31, 2018
September 20, 2018 | Categories: Quick Scan
Tougher Penalties for Dangerous Driving Start Sept. 1
August 31, 2018, Government of Ontario (TORONTO, ONTARIO)
Ontario's Government for the People is taking steps to ensure Ontario's roads are safe for everyone. Starting September 1, there will be tougher penalties for careless driving and endangering pedestrians.
Drivers convicted of careless driving causing bodily harm or death will face:
Concerns around roadside marijuana screening device exaggerated: manufacturer
August 31, 2018, Yahoo News (TORONTO, ONTARIO)
…Ahead of legalization, the federal government has set the legal limit for drivers at two nanograms of THC per millilitre of blood.
Anyone caught driving with between two and five ng of THC per mililitre of blood could face a $1,000 fine. Anyone who tests over five ng or who test above 2.5 ng combined with a blood alcohol concentration above 50 milligrams per 100 mL would be considered guilty of impaired driving and subject under the existing criminal code penalties.
Rob Clark, Managing Director for Draeger Canada, explains that because DT5000 tests saliva rather than blood for roadside tests, it uses a limit of 25 ng of THC in a sample of oral fluid as a pass-fail standard….
Impaired driving laws are changing: Stronger penalties take effect Sept. 1
August 30, 2018, SGI (REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN)
Consequences for impaired driving are getting even tougher in Saskatchewan as of Sept. 1, including stronger penalties for drug-impaired drivers and for impaired drivers who transport children.
The Traffic Safety (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2017 and The Miscellaneous Vehicle and Driving Statutes (Cannabis Legislation) Amendment Act, 2017 were both passed in the Spring sitting of the Legislature and come into effect September 1.
Are you high? Why new roadside drug tests may not put brakes on impaired driving
August 28, 2018, CBC News (OTTAWA, ONTARIO)
Ottawa has approved its first roadside testing device to screen drivers for drugs, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's going to become any easier for police to secure convictions against high drivers.
In a news release last night, the Department of Justice announced that Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould has given the go-ahead for police forces across the country to start buying the Drager DrugTest 5000, a handheld device that tests saliva for THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.
Launch of the Introduction to Cannabis Legislation online training module for Canadian police officers
August 14, 2018, MarketsInsider (HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA)
Today, the RCMP, in partnership with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) and the Canadian Police Knowledge Network (CPKN) are pleased to announce that the new online training on cannabis legislation is now available for all Canadian police officers, in both official languages.
Cannabis Rules to Keep Ontarians Safe and Protected
August 13, 2018, Government of Ontario (TORONTO, ONTARIO)
Ontario's Cannabis Act will come into force on October 17, 2018, the same day cannabis is legalized by the federal government. From day one, the province will have a well-regulated, well-enforced system that will focus on protecting children and youth, ensuring road safety, and fighting the illegal market.
Transport Canada supports projects to prepare Canada for connected and automated vehicles
August 10, 2018, Transport Canada (TORONTO, ONTARIO)
Connected and automated vehicles will bring about significant transformation in our transportation system, our communities, and our economy. They have the potential to improve road safety, reduce congestion, increase mobility, protect the environment, and generate new economic opportunities for middle-class Canadians.
The Government of Canada welcomes innovation that will help to create Canada’s transportation system of tomorrow. That is why Transport Canada is providing $2.9M in funding under the program to Advance Connectivity and Automation in the Transportation System in order to help Canadian jurisdictions prepare for connected and automated vehicles.
City of Vancouver receives $386k in funding for research on self-driving vehicles
August 10, 2018, Transport Canada (VANCOUVER, B.C.)
Joyce Murray, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra, on behalf of the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, today announced over $386K in funding to the City of Vancouver for their infrastructure and pilot deployment planning project for connected and automated vehicles. The City of Vancouver’s project will explore how self-driving vehicles and connected vehicles can integrate into our future transportation network, to make our city safer, less congested and sustainable.
One in seven cannabis users admits they consumed drug then drove, Statscan says
August 9, 2018, The Globe and Mail (OTTAWA, ONTARIO)
About one in seven cannabis users said they had recently got behind the wheel after consuming the drug, according to a survey by Statistics Canada that reveals lax attitudes toward drug-impaired driving as the country prepares for legalization.
Statistics Canada’s National Cannabis Survey results from the first half of this year, released on Thursday, show 17.6 per cent of boys and men and 9.5 per cent of girls and women report driving within two hours of using marijuana.
Concerns raised about first device set to be approved for roadside drug detection
August 9, 2018, CTV News (OTTAWA, ONTARIO)
The first device set to be approved by the federal government for roadside saliva tests to determine marijuana impairment isn’t suited for cold weather, and has been found to give “fairly large proportions of false-positive or false-negative results.”
Last month Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould published a notice of intention to approve the Dräger DrugTest 5000…
More than half of drivers don’t look for cyclists when turning right, reveals U of T Engineering study
August 9, 2018, U of T Engineering News (TORONTO, ONTARIO)
U of T Engineering researchers studied the eye movements of drivers at busy Toronto intersections and found that more than half failed to make necessary scans for pedestrians or cyclists at right turns…
This research was recently presented at the Canadian Association of Road Safety Professionals (CARSP) Conference…
MADD Canada Statement on Ontario’s Proposed Buck a Beer Policy
August 7, 2018, MADD Canada (OAKVILLE, ONTARIO)
Lowering the price of alcohol carries implications and risks for public safety. Lower alcohol prices can lead to increased consumption, particularly among those with alcohol problems, and among young people, and that increased consumption can in turn lead to increased alcohol-related problems, including impaired driving. The impact extends beyond the price of a beer. There should not be any government tax incentives to reduce the cost of alcohol.
How long after smoking cannabis is it safe to drive?
August 7, 2018, MADD Canada (OAKVILLE, ONTARIO)
There are many different answers out there about how long one should wait after smoking up before it’s safe to get behind the wheel, ranging from four hours to a full day.
Health Canada says that, unlike alcohol, the existing scientific evidence does not provide general guidance to drivers about how much cannabis can be consumed before it is unsafe to drive, or how long a driver should wait to drive after consuming cannabis...
New York's Vision Zero success provides road map for others taking aim at pedestrian deaths
August 6, 2018, CBC News (NEW YORK, NEW YORK)
As Canadian cities struggle to find solutions to traffic-related pedestrian and cycling deaths, New York City is touting its remarkable four-year turnaround in making its streets safer — something the mayor says is the result of going all in on a Sweden-conceived road safety program.
New York credits its "Vision Zero" program for a 44 per cent drop in pedestrian deaths since 2014, with overall traffic fatalities down by 27 per cent. The first half of 2018 has seen the fewest traffic-related fatalities in any six-month period ever measured in America's most populated city, officials say.
Cannabis campaign aims to educate Quebecers on dos, don'ts of legal pot
August 6, 2018, CTV News (MONTREAL, QUEBEC)
With the legalization of cannabis coming to Quebec in just two months, the provincial government launched a campaign aimed at educating the public about the nuances of pot law.
“This is an issue that has to be addressed and I think everybody across this province and across this country are waiting for something like that to happen,” said Health Minister Gaetan Barrette on Monday.
2018 Distinguished Service Award Announcement
August 2018, Association of Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (HICKORY, N.C.)
Pierro Hirsch, Director of Road Safety Research at Virage Simulation, has received the 2018 Distinguished Service Award from the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED). The most prestigious award presented to a non-member, Dr. Hirsch was chosen for the award for his exemplary service and support of the area of mobility for persons with disabilities, due to his contributions to research in driver training, assessment and rehabilitation.
Canadian Events & Conferences in 2018
The 10th International ACM Conference on Automotive User Interfaces and Interactive Vehicular Applications
Toronto, Ontario
September 23-25, 2018
Transportation Association of Canada
Conference and Exhibition
September 30-October 3
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
4th Ontario Road Safety Forum
Toronto, Ontario
October 11, 2018
arrive alive DRIVE SOBER Conference
Legalization: Our New Reality
Mississauga, Ontario
October 28-29, 2018
CCMTA Fall Meetings
Ottawa, Ontario
November 6-7, 2018