(CNW) - The Ontario government urges motorists to drive safely and responsibly during the Canada Day long weekend and throughout the summer holiday season.
Transportation Minister Harinder Takhar said ?Aggressive driving, along with the failure to buckle up, are among the most serious threats to safety we face on our roads during the summer months.
In 2002, close to 20 per cent of all traffic deaths happened in July and August.
?Remember to drive alert and sober, at a safe distance and speed, and buckle up everyone in your vehicle,? the minister said.
Police forces throughout the province are heightening their efforts this weekend to combat aggressive driving along Ontario?s highways. There will also be a focus on child car seat safety.
This spring, the government introduced legislation that, if passed, would make booster seats mandatory for children who are too small for seat belts.
?Child car seats and booster seats can reduce the likelihood of death or serious injury by as much as 75 per cent,? Takhar said.
?We must do everything we can to protect our children from motor vehicle collisions, a leading cause of death and injury among children and youth.?
Drivers should plan ahead and check road construction information and traffic reports to help determine the best route, ensure vehicles are ready for the road, avoid aggressive driving, and refrain from drinking and driving.
Drinking and driving is a factor in approximately 22 per cent of Ontario?s road fatalities.
Excessive speeding is a factor in 17.4 per cent of fatal collisions. Approximately one-third of drivers who lost their lives in collisions were not wearing seat belts.
For up-to-date information on highway construction and road conditions across Ontario, call the Ministry of Transportation?s information line toll- free at 1-800-268-4686, or visit the MTO website.
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