May 12, 2009

Think you’re a good driver? Road Safety Week is
a good time to self-evaluate

There’s no better time for motorists to evaluate their driving behavior than with the arrival of Manitoba Road Safety Week, which begins today.

“Driving a vehicle isn’t as simple as getting on an elevator and pushing a button,” says Clif Eden, Manager of Road Safety, Manitoba Public Insurance. “Many drivers develop poor driving habits over the years.

“Manitoba Road Safety Week is an opportune time to consider the way you drive and adjust your driving behavior accordingly. Bad driving habits don’t have to be permanent.”

Community partners kicked off Manitoba Road Safety Week today with the annual launch of the neighbourhood SpeedWatch Program, a volunteer-based initiative designed to make speeding motorists aware that they are traveling over the limit. Groups of community residents will be taking to the streets with speed-reader boards provided by Manitoba Public Insurance. The devices measure the speeds of vehicles as they pass by and then display the results to drivers.

Other activities planned by Manitoba partners during the week include the Winnipeg School Safety Patrol Awards and the kick-off of Manitoba Public Insurance’s RoadWatch program, which provides funding for police to conduct additional impaired driving roadside checks throughout the summer.

During the week Manitoba Public Insurance and the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service will be hosting a car seat clinic open to the public. The event will take place on Wednesday, May 13 from 4-7 p.m. at Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Services – Fire Station at 10 Allen Blye Drive.

“It’s estimated that most child car seats are installed incorrectly or used improperly, based on previous inspections,” says Eden. “Manitoba Public Insurance and the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Services have a long-standing partnership aimed at correcting this problem. As of today about 150 Winnipeg firefighters are trained as certified technicians.”

Another focus of Manitoba Road Safety Week is cycling safety. Manitoba Public Insurance is reminding motorists to respect cyclists as they share the road with bikes. On average, three bicyclists are killed per year by motor vehicles, according to Manitoba Public Insurance claims data. Another 180 cyclists are injured yearly in Manitoba.

“Cyclists are entitled to be on the roadways, and motorists are reminded to share the roads,” said Eden. “Many of these cyclist fatalities and injuries could have been prevented with a minor adjustment to driving behaviour.”

Manitoba Road Safety Week, May 12-18, is an annual campaign presented by Manitoba Public Insurance, Winnipeg Police Service, RCMP and the City of Winnipeg Traffic Engineering Department. It supports National Road Safety Week, which is sponsored by Transport Canada and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. The week is part of Road Safety Vision 2010, a country-wide effort to make Canada's roads the safest in the world by 2010.

Road Safety Week is strategically timed to lead up to the first summer long weekend, when more vehicles are on the road and traffic crashes trend upwards. The focus is on behaviours that put drivers, passengers and other road users most at risk: impaired driving, speeding, proper child car seat installation, seat belt use and cycling safety.

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