Decade of Action for Road Safety launches in Canada

The world is celebrating the official launch of the Decade of Action for Road Safety today, a United Nations initiative led by the World Health Organization. To highlight the event, several landmarks around the world, including the CN Tower in Toronto, will be illuminated in yellow. Transport Canada has taken the opportunity to challenge Canadians to change their driving habits.

Transport Canada says all motorists can do their share by:

• Driving sober
• Wearing a seat belt
• Observing the speed limit
• Avoiding using a cell phone or sending a text message while driving
• Correctly securing children in appropriate car seats
• Paying attention to vulnerable road users, namely pedestrians and cyclists.

In Canada, one person dies in a road accident every four hours, and around 500 are injured every day. Worldwide, 1.3 million people are killed in road accidents each year, and between 20 and 50 million are injured. Those numbers are expected to increase in the next 20 years, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

To find out more about the initiative, visit the official website.