Durham Vision Zero

Vision Zero is an approach in road safety thinking that originated in Sweden in 1997, and has been adopted in various forms around the world. It can be summarized in one sentence: no loss of life resulting from a motor vehicle collision is acceptable. The road system needs to keep us moving, and must also be designed to protect us at every turn by preventing collisions from occurring and designing the road network to minimize the consequences of collisions that do occur.

With Vision Zero as a guiding principle, safety is prioritized over factors such as cost, speed, delay, level of service, and convenience, factors upon which decisions were traditionally made.

Goal: Minimum 10 per cent reduction of fatal and injury collisions within five years (2019-2023).

Collisions at intersections form the single largest emphasis area. Collisions caused by turning movements are the most common types of collisions at intersections in the Region—representing approximately one third of all fatal and injury collisions at intersections.

Aggressive driving actions include speeding, driving too fast for conditions, following too close, disobeying traffic control, and failing to yield the right-of-way.

Approximately one person a day is killed in a car crash involving speed and loss of control. Speeding is defined as driving over the speed limit, driving too fast for road conditions, or racing. The faster you drive, the more distance you will need to stop safely. At all times, keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you.

The fines and penalties for speeding depend on how many kilometres you are over the speed limit.

Stunt driving and street racing are forms of aggressive driving. Stunt driving includes speeding 40km/h or more above the limit where the maximum is less than 80km/h, driving in a way that prevents other vehicles from passing, intentionally cutting off another vehicle or driving too close to another vehicle.  

Street racing includes two or more motor vehicles driving in a way that indicates the drivers are competing, chasing another motor vehicle, and/or changing lanes repeatedly at a high rate of speed and weaving through traffic.

Drivers involved in stunt driving or street racing are subject to face several consequences, which can include an immediate 30-day driver's license suspension, an immediate 14-day vehicle impoundment at roadside and/or a jail term of up to six months, amongst other penalties. 

Additional information on aggressive driving, including penalties, can be found by visiting the speeding and aggressive driving section on Ontario's website, or by viewing the Highway Traffic Act (HTA)

Young drivers aged 16 to 25 years are the single age group with the largest number of collisions from 2012 to 2016. Inexperience and driving beyond the driver's skill level are the primary reasons why young drivers have a higher chance of being involved in a collision.

Fifty three per cent of pedestrian-involved collisions occur at signalized intersections. In 69 per cent of pedestrian collisions, the pedestrian is walking with the right-of-way. Pedestrian collisions almost always result in injury, often serious.

Impaired driving means driving a vehicle while you are affected by alcohol or drugs. Vehicles include cars, trucks, boats, snowmobiles and off-road vehicles.

The penalties for drug impaired and alcohol impaired driving are the same.

Even small amounts of a drug can affect your ability to drive safely. It's illegal to drive impaired whether it's from over-the-counter medication, prescription drugs, alcohol or drugs (including marijuana).

Marijuana affects your ability to drive safely. This is because the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in marijuana can affect your co-ordination, reaction time, attention, decision-making, and ability to judge distances. The effects of marijuana can last for more than 24 hours.

Driving after using marijuana is not safer than driving after drinking alcohol. Using marijuana and other drugs together (such as alcohol or opioids) increases the effects of the drugs and can increase the risk of injury or death from a car crash.

• Driver had been drinking
• Driver's ability impaired due to alcohol use
• Driver's ability impaired due to drug use
• Driver's medical or physical disability
• Driver is fatigued

In recent years, Durham Region has seen a decrease in impaired driving collisions, however the legalization of marijuana may affect this trend.

There were 370 collisions involving commercial motor vehicles in Durham in the five-year study period; 20 per cent of fatal collisions in Ontario involve a commercial motor vehicle.