ZERO Road to Manitoba Road Safety Plan - Manitoba Public Insurance

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ZERO Road to Manitoba Road Safety Plan - Manitoba Public Insurance
Manitoba
Road Safety Plan
         2017-2020
                     Road to
                     ZERO
ZERO Road to Manitoba Road Safety Plan - Manitoba Public Insurance
ZERO Road to Manitoba Road Safety Plan - Manitoba Public Insurance
Road trauma hurts us all
Contents

Commitment from Stakeholders ..................... 2            Towards Zero and Road Safety Targets........... 12
  Message from the Ministers........................... 2       		What is Towards Zero?............................. 12
	Message from Chairs of the Provincial                         		Fundamental Principles of
   Road Safety Committee............................. 3               a Towards Zero Approach...................... 13
                                                                		 Road Safety Targets................................. 13
Current Provincial Road Safety Environment... 4
   Personal and Societal Costs of Collisions........ 4          Priorities for Manitoba................................... 14
A Changing Road Safety Landscape................. 7                Research and Data Collection...................... 15
		Infrastructure........................................... 7   Priorities for Safe Vehicles.............................. 16
		 Emerging Vehicle Technologies................... 7           Priorities for Safe Roads in Manitoba............. 18
		 Active Transportation................................ 7      Priorities for Safe Road Users in Manitoba..... 20
			      Pedestrian and Cycling Safety.............. 7          		 Evolving a Traffic Culture in Manitoba....... 21
		 Changing Demographics........................... 8           		Enforcement........................................... 22
		 Emerging Road Safety Issues...................... 9          		Education............................................... 23
			 Distraction......................................... 9      		 Public Policy and Legislation.................... 24
			      Impairment by Drugs........................ 10         		 Medically At-Risk Drivers......................... 25
                                                                Priorities for Safe Speeds in Manitoba............ 26
The Safe Systems Approach........................... 11
                                                                Ensuring Progress.......................................... 29
ZERO Road to Manitoba Road Safety Plan - Manitoba Public Insurance
Commitment from Stakeholders

Message from the Ministers

The vision of the       It is our privilege to present the            This Plan, developed in collaboration
                        2017-2020 Road Safety Plan                    by Manitoba leaders in road safety, will
Road Safety Plan is     for Manitoba.                                 use evidence based approaches and
                                                                      state-of-practice tools to examine new
for Manitoba to have    Each year, on average nearly 90 people        and innovative ways to reduce traffic
the safest roads in     are killed and over 400 are seriously
                        injured on Manitoba’s rural and urban
                                                                      fatalities and injuries in Manitoba.
                                                                      The Plan will be ever changing, and
Canada and we are       roadways. These people are not just           adapt to the needs of all Manitobans.
                        numbers, they are our loved ones and
committed to one        close friends. The only acceptable            Everyone has a part to play in achieving

day achieving zero      number of deaths, as a result of a traffic    our vision of having the safest roads in
                        collision, is zero. Safe roads should be      Canada and zero road fatalities. Our
traffic fatalities on   expected by everyone. Ourselves, our          province is committed to working
                        families, and our friends.                    cooperatively and collaboratively to
our roadways.                                                         identify and implement solutions that
                        The vision of the Road Safety Plan is for     work for all Manitobans.
                        Manitoba to have the safest roads in
                        Canada and we are committed to one
                        day achieving zero traffic fatalities on      Honourable Ron Schuler
                        our roadways. By adopting the Safe            Minister of Infrastructure
                        Systems Approach, we understand that
                        people will make mistakes. In Manitoba,
                        we aspire to have a road system where         Honourable Cliff Cullen
                        emerging vehicle technology; road             Minister of Crown Services
                        design, construction and maintenance;
                        traffic safety legislation and enforcement;
                        and safe travel speeds all contribute to
                        the forgiveness of these mistakes and
                        mitigate risks so ultimately driver errors
                        do not result in death or serious injury.

2   Road to Zero
ZERO Road to Manitoba Road Safety Plan - Manitoba Public Insurance
Message from the Chairs of Provincial Road Safety Committee

Manitoba’s changing       It is with great pleasure that we present    Road safety is the responsibility of all
                          the 2017–2020 Road Safety Plan               Manitobans; from the transportation
road safety environment   for Manitoba.                                system administrators who design and
                                                                       construct our roads and enact legislation,
requires a proactive      We would like to thank the many road         to vehicle manufacturers who develop
                          safety stakeholders, partners and
approach where all        organizations who have collaborated
                                                                       and support emerging safety technology,
                                                                       to police officers who enforce traffic laws,
stakeholders and          and contributed in the development of        and to every person that uses our roads.
                          the Manitoba Road Safety Plan.               Together we can achieve our vision of
partners work                                                          zero traffic fatalities and make our
                          We are very appreciative of the
collectively to reduce    tremendous commitment shown by
                                                                       roads the safest in Canada, for the
                                                                       benefit of our families, neighbours
traffic fatalities.       all parties in identifying road safety
                                                                       and communities.
                          priorities for Manitoba and their
                          willingness to work together on
                          strategic action items to one day achieve
                          our ultimate goal of zero fatalities on
                                                                       Co-Chairs of Provincial Road
                          our highways and roads. The further
                                                                       Safety Committee
                          commitment to come together to find
                          made-in-Manitoba solutions to these          Ward Keith
                          issues is an important step and ensures      Vice-President
                          all provincial road safety initiatives and   Business Development & Communications
                          interventions are aligned and supported.     and Chief Administrative Officer
                                                                       Manitoba Public Insurance
                          Manitoba’s changing road safety
                          environment requires a proactive
                          approach where all stakeholders and          Ron Weatherburn
                          partners work collectively to reduce         Assistant Deputy Minister
                          traffic fatalities. The Plan will consider   Engineering and Operations Division
                          current and emerging vehicle                 Manitoba Infrastructure
                          technologies, infrastructure designs,
                          road safety policy and legislation,
                          enforcement strategies, and emergence
                          of new road safety issues such as the
                          legalization of cannabis.

                                                                                                Road to Zero     3
ZERO Road to Manitoba Road Safety Plan - Manitoba Public Insurance
Current Provincial
Road Safety Environment

Personal and Societal Costs of Collisions
Over the last two decades, motor
vehicle-related fatalities and serious       Traffic Fatalities in Manitoba from 2006 to 2015
injuries have declined significantly
on Manitoba roadways. These
                                                                120
improvements have been achieved
despite increases to the province’s
population; number of vehicles                                  100
registered; and licensed drivers
                                             Nombre de décès

on Manitoba roadways, over the
                                                                 80
same period.

Despite clear declines in motor                                  60
vehicle-related casualties, the personal
and societal costs of collisions, injuries
                                                                 40
and fatalities continue to be significant.
The annual social cost of motor vehicle
collisions in Manitoba (in terms of                              20
loss of life, medical treatment,
rehabilitation, lost productivity,                                0
property damage, etc.) are estimated                                    2006      2007     2008     2009   2010      2011     2012        2013       2014        2015
at $6.4 million per fatality and $133,000
per injury. When these costs are applied                                                 Nombre de décès          Tendance du nombre de décès (2006 à 2015)
to the number of fatalities and injuries,
the societal costs of traffic fatalities
and injuries were over $2 billion in         Total collisions in Manitoba from 2011–2015
2013, or approximately three per cent of
Manitoba’s gross domestic product.
                                                               45,000
Over the past five years (2011-2015),                                                                             41,819                                     41,748
on average, there were 39,492 collisions                                                                                              40,672
                                                                                                  38,972
in Manitoba resulting in 10,777                                40,000
injury victims and 87 fatalities annually.
                                              Collisions

                                                                               34,302
                                                               35,000

                                                               30,000

                                                               25,000

                                                               20,000
                                                                               2011               2012            2013                 2014                   2015

                                                                                                                            Source: Traffic Accident Report Database (2015/16)

4    Road to Zero
ZERO Road to Manitoba Road Safety Plan - Manitoba Public Insurance
Road trauma hurts us all

Injury hospitalizations due to motor vehicle collisions

                              Number of Cases                                                            Length of stay (LOS) Average
                             2006-2015                                                                        2006-2015
              8,000                                                                        18              Average LOS =   12.2 days
              7,000
                              6,888 Total cases                                            16               16.9
                                      328
                                                                                           14
              6,000                  1,062

                                      274                                                  12
              5,000                   515                                                                                                  11.9
Total Cases

                                                                              LOS (days)

                                                                                           10
              4,000                                                                                                   9.4
                                                                                                   9.1
                                                                                           8                                   8.9
              3,000
                                                                                           6
                                     4,709
              2,000                                                                        4
              1,000                                                                        2

                 0                                                                         0

                             Unspecified      Pedestrian            Cyclist                 Motorcyclist      Vehicle Occupant

                                                                                                                               Source: Manitoba Health (2015)

Motor vehicle collisions are the fifth            a motor vehicle collision is approximately
leading cause of injury-related deaths in         12.2 days, with pedestrians having
Manitoba, a ranking that has remained             hospital stays 38.5 per cent longer
constant for the past 10 years. The               (average stay 16.9 days). Not surprisingly,
majority of road users hospitalized over          older individuals record the longest stays
the past ten years were vehicle occupants         in hospital resulting from injury in motor
(68%), followed by pedestrians (15%),             vehicle collisions; with Manitobans
motorcyclists (7%) and cyclists (4%).             aged 85 with the longest length of stay
Traffic collisions put a strain on                averaging almost 25 days, followed by
Manitoba’s health system as the average           people aged 75 to 84 (20 days) and 65 to
length of stay in hospital as a result of         74 (19 days).

                                                                                                                                     Road to Zero          5
ZERO Road to Manitoba Road Safety Plan - Manitoba Public Insurance
Current Provincial
Road Safety Environment

Over the past decade, the vast majority     collisions occurring in rural areas, are
of traffic related deaths on Manitoba       most often noted as driver distraction,
roadways have occurred in rural areas       driver impairment, loss of control or
(66%), whereas serious injury collisions    driving off the road, speed, and failure
are more evenly split between rural (53%)   to yield the right-of-way.
and urban (47%) locations. Contributing
factors, in fatal and serious injury

Fatal crashes in Manitoba                                                   Serious injury crashes in
from 2006 –2015                                                             Manitoba from 2006–2015

     32%
                      831                                                                  3,050                        49%
                    Fatal Crashes                                                        Serious Injury
                        Total                                                    51%     Crashes Total

                                      68%

                Urban               Rural                                              Urban                     Rural

                                                                                       Source: Traffic Accident Report Database (2015/16)

6    Road to Zero
ZERO Road to Manitoba Road Safety Plan - Manitoba Public Insurance
A Changing
Road Safety Landscape

There are several key                           There are also costly maintenance           Active Transportation
                                                considerations when introducing leading
reasons for Manitoba’s                          edge technologies to address road safety    Active transportation (AT) promotes
ever-changing road safety                       concerns. That said, Manitoba is            a healthier and more active lifestyle
environment. These factors                      committed to ensuring value for money       through alternative and environmentally
                                                when rebuilding provincial infrastructure   friendly modes of transportation;
include the current state                                                                   such as cycling and walking. Active
                                                and will utilize a return on investment
of infrastructure within the                    model to prioritize government              transportation provides the opportunity
province, the emergence of                      investment in infrastructure projects.      to integrate physical activity into daily
                                                                                            life, and increase social interactions
new vehicle technology, the
                                                Perhaps the biggest challenge for           which enhances community vibrancy
prominence of emerging                          implementing road safety initiatives is     in neighbourhoods all across Manitoba.
road safety issues, a                           identifying mechanisms for sustainable
growing commitment to                           road safety funding well into the future.   Pedestrian and Cycling Safety
                                                                                             anitoba Infrastructure (MI) works
                                                                                            M
active transportation and
                                                                                            with AT stakeholders to safely integrate
safety of vulnerable road                       Emerging Vehicle                            AT facilities in highway rights-of-way or
users, and changes to                           Technologies                                adjacent to highways, where appropriate,
Manitoba’s population.                                                                      and invests in AT infrastructure
                                                Autonomous vehicle (AVs)
                                                                                            improvements such as building
                                                technologies are advancing rapidly,
                                                                                            sidewalks on bridges.
                                                providing opportunities and challenges
Infrastructure                                  for policy-makers and regulators. There
                                                                                            Some municipalities within Manitoba
The Manitoba government is committed            are several perceived societal benefits
                                                                                            have also developed AT strategies and
to strategic infrastructure investment          of AV technology including reductions
                                                                                            action plans to meet the unique and
and forecasts $1.7 billion in strategic         in traffic collisions, mitigation of
                                                                                            emerging needs of their communities.
infrastructure investment in 2017/2018.         consequences as a result of distracted
                                                                                            For instance, over the last decade, the
Of that investment, nearly $750 million         driving, lower vehicle emissions and
                                                                                            City of Winnipeg has invested significant
is committed to road, highways, bridges         traffic congestion, and improvements
                                                                                            resources in improving infrastructure,
and flood protection.                           in fuel efficiency and mobility.
                                                                                            policy and programs in support of cycling
                                                                                            and pedestrian safety.
Even with significant infrastructure            There is a need for a strategic and
investment, programming pressures still         coordinated approach to AV technology
exist, with many competing demands              across Canada. Manitoba continues to
for highway infrastructure dollars. Safety      monitor developments in connected and
and standards best practices are currently      AV technologies. However, legislative
built into new infrastructure; however,         amendments will be required to guide
retrofit projects for existing infrastructure   their use, and establish parameters
present a much greater challenge.               for their safe operation.

                                                                                                                    Road to Zero    7
ZERO Road to Manitoba Road Safety Plan - Manitoba Public Insurance
A Changing
Road Safety Landscape

Changing                                      Statistics Canada is predicting a large                     develop physical and cognitive
                                              increase in the population of seniors over                  restrictions, although not all seniors
Demographics                                  the next few decades. In 2010, fewer than                   have conditions which affect the safety
The steady growth of Manitoba’s               117,000 Manitobans aged 65 years and                        of their driving. This aging population
population has been driven by increases       older held a valid driver’s licence. In                     may require additional safety measures
in immigration, less outbound migration,      keeping with population projections,                        or interventions to keep them and other
and natural growth. As immigration            this segment of drivers could rise to                       Manitobans safe on the road, and
numbers increase many new                     approximately 161,000 by 2021.                              provincial/municipal road infrastructure
Manitobans may lack knowledge of              As seniors age, they are more likely to                     may need to be modified.
rules and safe practices on Canadian
roads; not only as drivers, but also as
pedestrians and cyclists. This Plan will      Manitobans aged 65 plus years and holding
consider additional driver training for
new arrivals seeking a driver’s licence and
                                              a valid driver’s licence
orientation of safe road practices as a
pedestrian or cyclist for new Manitobans.                                             180,000
                                               Manitobans 65+ Holding Valid Licence

The majority (56%) of Manitoba’s                                                      160,000
population resides in the provincial                                                                                                  161,000
capital, Winnipeg, with the balance                                                   140,000
                                                                                                          157,339
dispersed throughout the province.
Over the years, migration from rural                                                  120,000
areas to urban locations has created a
population imbalance that places                                                      100,000
                                                                                                117,000
considerable strain on resources to
meet the demands of growth, but still                                                  80,000
maintain a vast infrastructure network
in areas with declining population.                                                    60,000

                                                                                       40,000

                                                                                       20,000

34% increase in the number                                                                 0

                                                                                                 2010      2015              2021 (projected)
of drivers 65+ from 2010 to 2015                                                                           Source: Traffic Accident Report Database (2015/16)

with projections suggesting this
will continue to climb.

8    Road to Zero
Emerging Road                                                  Over the last four years (2012-2015),                               decline in serious injury or fatal collisions
                                                               on average, distracted driving was a                                in Manitoba. Under Manitoba’s
Safety Issues                                                  contributing factor in 32 per cent of                               Highway Traffic Act, using a
Progress has been made over the past                           motor vehicle collisions in Manitoba                                hand-operated electronic device while
decade to reduce the number of motor                           causing death and 22 per cent of collisions                         driving has been prohibited since July
vehicle-related fatalities and serious                         resulting in serious injury. These numbers                          2010. Manitoba also leads the country
injuries, but road safety stakeholders                         continue to climb each year. Distractions                           with the highest demerit level compared
in Manitoba must remain diligent                               can occur both within and outside the                               to other Canadian jurisdictions, though
on important issues such as alcohol                            vehicle. External distractions include                              most Canadian jurisdictions have
impairment, distraction, drug impairment,                      other vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians and                         introduced higher fines for using
speed, and non-use of occupant restraints                      display/advertising signs both within                               hand-held electronic devices. The
that continue to play a role in contributing                   and adjacent to road rights-of-way.                                 consequences of distracted driving are
to motor vehicle-related collisions and                        Common internal distractions include                                as serious as impaired driving,
casualty results in Manitoba. That said,                       handling of a hand-held electronic device,                          leading many Canadian jurisdictions
driver distraction and impairment by                           in-vehicle visual technology, interacting                           to adopt legislative sanctions similar
drugs are two priority issues that may                         with passengers, eating, grooming or                                to those found in impaired driving
significantly alter road user risk and                         reading. With smart phone ownership                                 legislation. Changing public perception
impact collision and casualty results                          increasing and new visual technologies                              and behaviour requires leveraging the
in the future, if left unattended.                             continuously being introduced in vehicles,                          right combination of tools —public
                                                               it is reasonable to believe distraction will                        education, legislation and
Distraction                                                    remain an important safety issue now                                enforcement—to make distracted
Since 2013, distraction has contributed                        and in the future.                                                  driving as socially unacceptable as
to more total vehicle collisions in                                                                                                impaired driving. Additionally,
Manitoba than any other recorded factor.                       Recent implementation of legislative                                enhanced protocols with respect to
                                                               countermeasures to combat distracted                                display/advertising signs may also
                                                               driving has not yet resulted in a major                             need to be considered.

Distracted driving                                  10,000                                                                                                       9,463
                                                    9,000                                                                      8,468
vs. other                                           8,000

contributing                                         7,000                                   6,709
                                       Collisions

factors: multi-year                                  6,000

                                                    5,000    4,780

   Distracted driving                               4,000

   Speed                                            3,000
                                                                                                                                   3,076                              3,092
   Fail to yield right-of-way                       2,000                                        2,418
                                                                                                         2,062                             2,174                              2,272
                                                                 1,891
   Lost control/Drive off road                       1,000               1,378
                                                                                                                 1,598                             1,415                              1,598
                                                                                 1,064 123                               119                               115                                140
   Impaired driving                                     0
                                                                     2012                            2013                                  2014                           2015
                                                                                                                                             Source: Traffic Accident Report Database (2015/16)

                                                                                                                                                                      Road to Zero                  9
A Changing
Road Safety Landscape

Impairment by Drugs                                        legislation may have on the prevalence of         Manitoba’s road safety environment is
                                                           drugs and driving in Manitoba. In response        evolving as new issues and technologies
In June 2016, the Government of Canada
                                                           to this need, Manitoba Public Insurance           emerge and demographic conditions
announced its intention to legalize
                                                           partnered with MADD Canada in 2016 on             change. This changing environment
the recreational use of cannabis. Once
                                                           a series of roadside surveys in Manitoba to       creates new challenges for improving
recreational use of cannabis is legalized,
                                                           determine the prevalence of both alcohol          road safety and ultimately reducing
it is anticipated that cannabis usage
                                                           and drug use in drivers. Results showed one       fatalities and serious injuries on
will increase, which may result in more
                                                           in ten Manitoba drivers who participated          Manitoba roadways. The Road Safety Plan
people driving while impaired by drugs
                                                           in the survey tested positive for some form       will provide guidance and direction to all
in Manitoba. Recent research examining
                                                           of drug, with cannabis (53%) and cocaine          road safety stakeholders as we navigate
multiple studies about the effects of
                                                           (31%) being most common among those               change and prepare for the future.
cannabis on driving performance concluded
                                                           testing positive. By comparison, only             Sources
that cannabis doubled the risk of crash
                                                           2.4 per cent of drivers had a blood alcohol
                                                                                                             [i]
                                                                                                                 Asbridge, M., Hayden, J.A., & Cartwright, J.L. (2012).
involvement.[i] It should also be noted that                                                                 “Acute cannabis consumption and motor vehicle collision
                                                           concentration (BAC) greater than nil              risk: Systematic review of observational studies and
a large volume of research demonstrates                                                                      meta-analysis.” British Medical Journal, 344, e536
                                                           (un-weighted). These results establish            [ii]
                                                                                                                   Bramness, Jørgen G., Hassan Zaré Khiabani, and Jørg
that drivers who have been using cannabis                                                                    Mørland. “Impairment due to cannabis and ethanol:
                                                           a baseline against which future surveys
in combination with alcohol are at                                                                           clinical signs and additive effects.” Addiction 105.6
                                                           can be compared and will provide critical         (2010): 1080-1087.
significantly greater risk of collision. [ii] [iii] [iv]                                                     [iii]
                                                                                                                   Downey, Luke A., et al. “The effects of cannabis and
                                                           data that help to determine the impact            alcohol on simulated driving: influences of dose and
                                                                                                             experience.” Accident Analysis & Prevention 50 (2013):
Manitoba has led the way provincially                      of legislation, enforcement and safety            879-886.
and introduced the Cannabis Harm                           promotion and awareness campaigns in              [iv]
                                                                                                                   Ronen, Adi, et al. “The effect of alcohol, THC and their
                                                                                                             combination on perceived effects, willingness to drive
Prevention Act in 2017 to provide interim                  the ongoing fight against impaired driving.       and performance of driving and non-driving tasks.”
                                                                                                             Accident Analysis & Prevention 42.6 (2010): 1855-1865.
measures, including licence suspension
for cannabis impairment, prohibiting
cannabis consumption in vehicles on public
roads, and restricting the transportation                  Proportion of drivers testing positive for drugs
of cannabis in vehicles, that will protect
Manitobans during the period before new
federal cannabis and impaired driving
                                                                                                                                                53%
                                                                                                                                               Cannabis
legislation is fully implemented. Manitoba

                                                                                                                                                31%
will continue to work with other provincial
counterparts to ensure administrative laws
are as effective as they can be in reducing                                                                                                      Cocaine

drug impaired driving. Manitoba legislators
require a nimble approach to ensure
recreational cannabis use does not result in
                                                                      Drug Negative
                                                                           90%
                                                                                                   Drug Positive
                                                                                                         10%                                    12%
                                                                                                                                                 Opioids
a new road safety problem.

Nationally, there is a significant lack of                                                                                                        2%
                                                                                                                                           Benzodiazepines
research and empirical evidence on the issue
of drugs and driving. Further research is
needed to better understand this emerging                   Tested Cases
                                                                                                                                                  2%
                                                                                                                                          Amphetamines/
issue and potential implications new
                                                             1,230                                                                       Methamphetamines

10       Road to Zero
The Safe Systems Approach

The Canadian Council                         holistically and strengthened; including                       § educating the public on the
                                             roads, speeds, vehicles and road users.                           preventability of collisions and
of Motor Transport                           In a Safe Systems Approach, all those who                         instilling a traffic safety culture; and
Administrators (CCMTA)                       design and maintain the road system,
Road Safety Strategy (RSS)                   and those who use it, must share in the                        § ensuring that vehicles are designed,
                                             responsibility for road safety outcomes.                          manufactured, and repaired as safely
2025 supports a long-term                                                                                      as possible.
vision of making Canada’s                    A Safe Systems Approach, therefore,
roads the safest in the                      focuses on:                                                    A Safe Systems Approach requires
                                                                                                            commitment and collaboration
world. As well, a number                     § designing infrastructure that is
                                                                                                            between all levels of government and
of principles key to the                        forgiving of mistakes and protects
                                                                                                            private sector stakeholders with a mutual
                                                vulnerable road users;
strategy’s success have been                                                                                interest in road safety. It also requires
aligned with international                   § ensuring that speed limits are safe                         strategic planning, long-term thinking,
                                                and appropriate, and speeds are                             and sustained funding commitments.
best practices in road safety,
                                                managed so other parts of the system
including adopting the                          work as intended;
Safe Systems Approach.
Manitoba’s Road Safety
Plan aligns with Canada’s                                                                    Enforcement
                                                                                     e nt                     Pu
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RSS 2025 and supports the                                                         em       OU NG/NOVICE DRIV       cP
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occurring in the first place. All parts of                                                         n/Data/Research
the road system are to be considered

                                                                                                                                                 Road to Zero   11
Towards Zero and
Road Safety Targets

                      What is Towards Zero?
                      A Towards Zero strategy supports the
                      vision of a future which is free of traffic
                      fatalities or severe injuries. Towards Zero
                      is an ethics-based approach for traffic
                      safety, and is a variation of Vision
                      Zero — started in Sweden in the late
                      1990s. The core principle for both is that
                      it is unacceptable for anyone to be killed
                      or seriously injured when moving within
                      the road transport system. Towards Zero
                      suggests responsibility for the safety of
                      all road users is shared by road users,
                      transportation system administrators
                      (including politicians, designers,
                      construction and maintenance workers,
                      facility owners and operators), and
                      vehicle manufacturers.

                      Towards Zero maintains that while not
                      all types of crashes may be prevented,
                      traffic deaths and severe injuries are
                      preventable. Towards Zero concurs with
                      a Safe Systems Approach that people will
                      make mistakes and that the human body
                      is not designed to absorb the high impact
                      forces that occur in motor vehicle
                      collisions. Therefore, the focus is not on
                      avoiding all collisions, but rather on
                      lowering the likelihood of crashes
                      resulting in death or severe injury. A safe
                      system with an emphasis on data-driven
                      solutions is needed to protect all roads
                      users (in particular, vulnerable road users)
                      from their own or others’ mistakes.

12   Road to Zero
To align itself with current national and international
best practices, Manitoba’s Road Safety Plan supports
the Towards Zero approach to traffic safety.

Towards Zero calls for a range of          § t hough behavioral change is still an      trending over the next ten years in the
holistic solutions, but sets the highest      important aspect of the approach,          societal cost of collisions in Manitoba
level of responsibility on system             improved system administration             on a per capita basis.
administrators. This, in itself, may          (to the extent it is possible) becomes
require a change in traffic safety            the primary focus                          The Plan intends to measure progress over
culture — allowing for greater                                                           a ten year time-frame allowing for a clearer
innovation, higher levels of public        § s peed is recognized and prioritized       view of trends and progress towards zero
funding towards roadways, and                 as a fundamental factor in crash           deaths. Monitoring progress over a ten
creating stronger legislation.                severity                                   year period enables the identification of
                                                                                         improvement strategies and incremental
                                           §p
                                             ublic engagement and support is            gains, but removes impetuous response to
Fundamental Principles of                   critical in advancing and implementing       year-to-year fluctuations.
a Towards Zero Approach                     Towards Zero strategies
                                                                                         It will take time to develop and
There are some basic elements that                                                       implement key strategic actions that
form the foundation of a Towards           Road Safety Targets                           address the priorities within the
Zero approach:                             Manitoba’s Road Safety Plan will follow       Plan (as outlined in the next section),
§ traffic deaths and severe injuries      the RSS 2025 model, and will seek to          therefore numeric performance targets
   are understood to be preventable        accelerate previous downward trends           have not been created for the first three
                                           in the rate-based number of fatalities        years of Manitoba’s Road Safety Plan.
§ human life and health are               and serious injuries on provincial and        Manitoba may consider setting numeric
   prioritized within all aspects          municipal roadways. Overall performance       targets, after the initial three year period,
   of the transportation system            will be measured by an annual downward        upon review of the rate of downward
                                           trending over the next ten years in           trending at the time.
§ human error is unavoidable, and         fatalities and serious injuries per 100,000
   transportation systems should be        population, as well as, downward
   forgiving of this

                                                                                                                 Road to Zero      13
Priorities for Manitoba

Identifying priorities for each   will guide future strategic    Research priorities impact
quadrant of the Safe Systems      actions, public policy and     each quadrant of the Safe
Approach focuses our efforts      legislative countermeasures,   Systems Approach and are
in pursuit of our targets.        safety interventions, and      identified separately..
These priorities for Safe         resource allocation and
Vehicles, Safe Roads, Safe        investment.
Road Users and Safe Speeds

14   Road to Zero
Research and Data Collection
Fostering research capacity, data             In Manitoba, organizations capture data        currently unknown, as data gaps exist
collection and consistency are                in response to their own mandated need         regarding active transportation use.
overarching goals that span all road          and requirement. Manitoba Public               A more evidence-based, site-specific
safety priority areas. Comprehensive data     Insurance gathers collision and claims         road safety review of problematic
collection and analysis is essential for      data to administer insurance claims,           locations is needed to guide safe
designing effective road safety strategies,   inform road safety priorities and              infrastructure solutions for vulnerable
determining intervention priorities,          initiatives, and to maintain statistical       road users.
and monitoring program effectiveness.         data for national reporting and provincial
Reliability of data is a key issue when       comparative analysis. The health sector        Priorities:
developing road safety interventions.         gathers data to determine injury cause,        § Create a central repository of road
Data quality and effective analysis are       severity and hospitalization impact in            safety related data, accessible to
fundamental to risk awareness and             the facilitation of health care and injury        provincial and municipal stakeholders
intervention effectiveness.                   prevention. Law enforcement gathers               and researchers.
                                              data to efficiently and strategically direct
Collaboration with other provincial,          policing resources. Municipalities and         § Collaborate on research projects
municipal and territorial partners on road    the province collect data to set                  (multi-partner funding agreements).
safety research initiatives will strengthen   priorities for public works and
consistency and consensus for data            infrastructure. Greater collaboration          § Expand research and intelligence
collection, address potential data gaps       on what data is collected, and for what           as primary drivers for road safety
and enable better inter-jurisdictional        purpose, is needed. Further, to the extent        decision making.
data comparison and evaluation.               possible, consolidating this data and
                                              storing it in one place enables all            § Evaluate road safety policies, legislation,
                                              stakeholders access to the same                   programming and interventions to
                                              information for decision making.                  ensure their effectiveness is measured,
                                                                                                resources are allocated appropriately
                                              Further investigation and insight into            and desired outcomes are achieved.
                                              fatal and serious injury collisions could
                                              be gained by increasing research capacity
                                              and augmenting existing collision data
                                              collection across all user modes such
                                              as cars, trucks, buses, pedestrians and
                                              cyclists. Rates of serious injury and death
                                              amongst active transportation users are

                                                                                                                      Road to Zero      15
Priorities for Safe
               Manitoba:
                    Vehicles
Safe
in Manitoba
     Road Users

                                             What it looks like on                             What it looks like in
                                           Manitoba’s road network                             Manitoba’s culture
Our Vision for                                 Road infrastructure supports                      Consumers recognize the
Safe Vehicles                                 emerging autonomous vehicle
                                           technology. Within Manitoba’s fleet
                                                                                              benefits of advanced in-vehicle
                                                                                             safety features, including driver
                                           of vehicles, there is widespread use           assist and autonomous technologies,
                                                 of advanced driver assist                   and seek, invest in, and readily
                                               technologies and, eventually,                       adopt those features.
                                                fully autonomous vehicles.

Though fully autonomous vehicles on          of the vehicle to avoid a collision when a     identified as the critical reason for
Manitoba roads may be a decade               human driver fails to do so. This can have     94 per cent of all recorded crashes.
(or more) away, significant safety           a significant impact to road safety            Therefore, the impact of technologies
advancements have already been made          as more vehicles on Manitoba roadways          in removing the human action (or
to vehicle technology. Advanced safety       are equipped with such technology.             decision),which was most often the critical
features (including collision avoidance,                                                    reason for a collision, could be dramatic.
lane departure alerts, pedestrian            According to data from the National
detection, and auto-braking systems)         Highway Traffic Safety Association’s
are becoming standard equipment in           National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation
new vehicles. These systems take control     Survey (2005 to 2007) the driver was

16    Road to Zero
Road trauma hurts us all

Preparing for
Industry Change

                                                                                                             2025
                                                                                                             In the Internet
                                                                                        2021                 of cars,
                                                                                        Several              connected
                                                                  2018                  manufacturers        cars will
                                                                  Half of the           expect to
                                             2017                 Manitoba fleet        have fully
                                                                                                             communicate
                                                                                                             with each other
                                             Testing of
                       2015                  autonomous
                                                                  will represent        autonomous           and with their
                                                                  vehicles with         (driverless)         insurance
                       Ford introduces       vehicles is
2010                   aluminum-body
                                                                  at least some         vehicles on          company.
                                             underway in          complex               the road.
Aluminum and           F-150 pickup          cities around        materials.
composite              truck.                the world, and
materials start                              ongoing tests of
to become                                    robo-taxi fleets
commonplace.                                 are expected
                                             to expand.

 Manitoba’s Highway Traffic Act                  Strategies to manage the transition           Priorities:
establishes requirements and                     from existing vehicle technology to
                                                                                               § Promote early adoption of automated
prohibitions for “drivers” and “persons”.        new autonomous vehicle technology
                                                                                                  vehicle technologies that promote
Currently, Manitoba legislation is               are required to ensure concerns or
                                                                                                  road safety.
designed for traditional motor vehicles          issues with advancing technology are
with human drivers in control of the             identified early, and strategies are          § Expand safety research of emerging
vehicle. Amendments to regulatory                developed to deal with them.                     technology, autonomous technology
frameworks are required to allow for pilot                                                        in particular.
testing and evaluation of autonomous                                                           § Address challenges with technology
vehicles and emerging technologies,                                                               transition; ensure infrastructure can
including regional testing of                                                                     accommodate and interact with
infrastructure in different climates,                                                             automated vehicle technologies and
time of day, and weather conditions, in                                                           autonomous vehicles can interact
support of autonomous vehicle as they                                                             with non-autonomous vehicles.
emerge in the marketplace.
                                                                                               § Determine how vehicle telematics
                                                                                                  may be used to monitor and influence
                                                                                                  positive driving behaviour.

                                                                                                                      Road to Zero        17
Priorities for Safe
               Manitoba:
                    Roads
Safe
in Manitoba
     Road Users

                       What it looks like on                 What it looks like in
                     Manitoba’s road network                 Manitoba’s culture
Our Vision for          A road network that meets the        The rights of all road users to
Safe Roads            safety needs of all users. Separate
                     infrastructure treatments to reduce
                                                             access a safe road network is
                                                              understood, accepted and
                    or eliminate conflict between active       endorsed. Proven safety
                       transportation users and motor       treatments are implemented.
                    vehicles. These safety improvements
                    are incorporated, in a systematic and
                           formalized way, into road
                       construction and rehabilitation.

18   Road to Zero
Road trauma hurts us all

Many Manitobans enjoy an active and         Currently in Manitoba, at both the          Priorities:
healthy lifestyle through alternative       provincial and municipal level, traffic
                                                                                        § Improve safety for all vulnerable road
and environmentally responsible             engineers and road designers have
                                                                                           users through smart road design.
modes of active transportation, such as     established practices whereby safety
walking and biking. The Provincial Road     improvements to existing infrastructure     § Align active transportation strategies
Safety Committee recognizes a direct        are incorporated into rehabilitation and       at the municipal and provincial levels,
connection between the protection of        re-construction projects on an as needed       and meet the ever-changing needs
vulnerable road users, their perceived      project-by-project basis. Further safety       of Manitobans.
safety, and the further adoption of         benefits would be achieved through a
active transportation.                      more formalized and systemic approach       § Build capacity for research and data
                                            in incorporating road safety within            collection on site specific location
Vulnerable road users include people on     new and existing infrastructure, and           solutions—in both urban and rural
foot, people who use mobility devices to    to ensure compatibility with the               municipalities (to better understand
travel, and people on bikes (motorized      Safe Systems Approach.                         where the problems are, what the issue
and human powered). They are                                                               is, and what the possible solutions
particularly at risk of being killed or     Additionally, improved capture of              might be).
seriously injured when sharing the          comprehensive collision data, network
roadway with motorists as they do not       analysis and site prioritization across     § Implement a formalized and
have the impact protection afforded to      all user modes (i.e. car, truck, bus,          systemic approach in incorporating
people inside vehicles. When speeds         motorcycle, pedestrian, or cyclist) would      infrastructure improvements that
rise, especially on the rural high speed    allow for installation of site-specific        enhance safety.
highway network, this risk becomes          safety treatments, or combination of
greater. Limiting the interaction between   treatments, that have the greatest
motor vehicles and vulnerable road users,   potential for collision reductions based
or enhancing infrastructure to separate     on specific collision history.
them altogether, can improve safety
and reduce human toll. The protection
of vulnerable road users is of the
utmost importance and province-wide
collaboration and cooperation between
all levels of government towards these
efforts is essential to enhance safety.

                                                                                                               Road to Zero         19
Priorities for Safe Road Users
in Manitoba

                      What it looks like on             What it looks like in
                    Manitoba’s road network             Manitoba’s culture
 Our Vision          Road users demonstrate safe      Manitobans understand their
  for Safe            practices and comply with
                          safety legislation.
                                                       role and are united in their
                                                     commitment to reduce collision
Roads Users            Enhanced enforcement
                         deters high risk and
                                                         fatalities and injuries.
                                                         High risk behaviours like
                        unlawful behaviours.       distracted driving, impaired driving,
                                                   speeding, and non-use of seatbelts,
                                                         are socially unacceptable.

20   Road to Zero
Road trauma hurts us all

Evolving a Traffic Safety                                                   and are afforded care and consideration.       Seatbelts and child restraints help protect
                                                                            Such awareness campaigns would aim             vehicle occupants by keeping them
Culture in Manitoba                                                         to raise Manitobans’ expectations for a        restrained in a collision, and though most
                                                                            higher level of safety practice on the road.   occupants wear a restraint in Manitoba,
Culture consists of the “beliefs, values,
                                                                                                                           not all occupants are properly restrained at
norms, and things people use, which guide
                                                                            In adopting a traffic safety culture,          all times and run the risk of being injured
their social interactions in everyday life” [v].
                                                                            Manitobans will recognize their every day      or killed from impacting the inside of the
Traffic safety culture, therefore, refers to
                                                                            actions can contribute to an improved road     vehicle or being ejected from the vehicle.
the influences under the surface that drive
                                                                            safety environment for all. For example,       In Manitoba, an occupant in a motor
our attitudes and behaviours regarding
                                                                            by staying alert at all times and not using    vehicle is 28 times more likely to be killed
road safety. To actively address traffic
                                                                            a hand-held device while driving, vehicle      and five times more likely to be seriously
safety culture in Manitoba, the province
                                                                            operators can focus on the task of driving     injured when not wearing a seatbelt.
will be proactive in changing the mindset
                                                                            and be able to take safe evasive action        Adopting a traffic safety culture where
of Manitobans about road safety and
                                                                            to avoid a collision should something          occupant restraints are used correctly by
encourage a traffic safety culture where all
                                                                            unexpected occur. Placing their safety and     every vehicle occupant on every trip (even
road users have a heightened awareness of
                                                                            safety of others ahead of anything else        short ones), can have a positive impact
the consequences of unsafe behaviour (such
                                                                            would make it socially unacceptable to         in reducing the number of fatalities or
as distraction, speeding or impairment) and
                                                                            use a hand-held device while travelling in a   serious injuries on Manitoba roads.
are willing to change their behaviour in the
interest of safety for all road users.                                      vehicle. Gains may be achieved by altering
                                                                                                                           Priorities:
                                                                            the attitudes and behaviour of people who
                                                                            value staying connected more than safety.      § Evolve and improve the traffic
Studies have shown that well planned
                                                                                                                              safety culture in Manitoba.
and executed public awareness
campaigns, paired with active                                               Also, though research shows drivers who        § Reduce driver distraction on
enforcement and strong legislation,                                         have used drugs are at an increased risk          Manitoba roadways.
can increase awareness of serious road                                      of getting into a motor vehicle collision
                                                                                                                           § Reduce impaired driving, both
safety issues while simultaneously                                          and have crash rates higher than those
                                                                                                                              alcohol and drug impairment,
reducing traffic collisions, deaths and                                     of sober drivers, many Manitobans
                                                                                                                              on Manitoba roadways.
serious injuries. Media and awareness                                       do not perceive the risk associated
campaigns also encourage people to                                          with operating a motor vehicle after           § Persuade Manitobans to use occupant
think about their attitudes and choices,                                    consuming drugs, and many believe their           restraints properly and consistently—
clear up commonly held misperceptions,                                      driving ability improves. For instance,           including seatbelts, child restraint
and can assist in establishing new social                                   awareness around the use of marijuana             systems, and mobility aid securement.
norms. All of these elements are vital in                                   affecting reaction time and concentration
                                                                            is not widely known or accepted.               § Improve safety of youth on our roads.
helping to establish a new traffic safety
culture that contributes to a positive                                      Considerable work is required to change
environment where all people, regardless                                    the social norms and misconceptions
of their transportation method, require                                     relating to drug use and driving.

[v]
      Moeckli J, Lee JD, “The making of driving cultures” AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (2007), p. 62.

                                                                                                                                                  Road to Zero      21
Priorities for Safe
               Manitoba:
                    Road Users
Safe
in Manitoba
     Road Users

Enforcement
Traffic law enforcement, which covers
the entire enforcement process, from
detection of a violation through to
conviction and applying a penalty, is an
important instrument to improve traffic
law compliance. Under the Safe Systems
Approach, to maximize the effect on road
safety, traffic law enforcement should
prevent violations that are proven to be
linked to collisions.

Police enforcement refers to the work
of police agencies in detecting traffic
violations, administering penalties,
and gathering evidence for prosecution.
Visible and consistent police enforcement
has been demonstrated to be an
effective strategy in deterring risky
driving behaviours such as alcohol
impaired driving, speeding and
distracted driving.

Automated traffic enforcement               As part of a comprehensive strategy          Priorities:
technologies, such as speed and red light   grounded in Safe Systems Approach and
                                                                                         § Target enforcement to deter actions
enforcement technologies complement         Towards Zero foundations, collaboration
                                                                                            that put people at risk on the road.
existing law enforcement efforts in         and engagement with law enforcement
enforcing high risk locations. Expanded     to select and target the most dangerous      § Embed traffic safety culture into
use of automated enforcement, utilizing     traffic behaviours for enforcement efforts      general police operations.
data to target specific locations, would    is vital to success. Focusing on the top
improve enforcement coverage in             five dangerous traffic behaviours, rather    § Explore new enforcement methods
problem areas across Manitoba.              than lower level infractions that do not        and technology.
                                            benefit safety efforts has proven to be
The Plan will consider other emerging
                                            best practice for police enforcement.
enforcement technologies and best
practice from other jurisdictions when
developing strategic action items
relating to enforcement, to be as
effective as possible in reducing risky
driving behaviours.

22    Road to Zero
Road trauma hurts us all

Education                                    Road safety education has been              and strategies, early on, provides the
                                             successful in reducing dangerous driver     necessary foundation that fosters an
Driver training and education provides       behaviour by influencing people’s           improved road safety environment,
a safety foundation for all new drivers in   perceptions of specific types of            as children grow and become drivers
Manitoba. Evidence suggests that novice      dangerous actions and altering well         themselves. Currently, road safety learning
driver education is a meaningful and         established social norms. However,          outcomes are not consistently managed
effective approach to reducing traffic       not all road users are drivers. Safety      or applied in schools across Manitoba.
collisions, especially injury or fatal       education directed to pedestrians and       Greater attention is required in improving
collisions. Studies indicate that novice     cyclists, both young and old, can           road safety learning outcomes for young
drivers who complete Manitoba Public         contribute to a greater understanding       road users, and first time drivers.
Insurance’s High School Driver Education     of the rules of the road and safe
(HSDE) have lower collision and traffic      practices, even if they are not drivers.    Priorities:
offense conviction rates than those
                                                                                         § Increase access to driver education
who have not completed the course.           Through a life-long learning approach,
                                                                                            programs across Manitoba.
Increasing access to driver training         Manitoba school-aged children have
for all different groups in all areas of     been introduced to road safety learning     § Improve road safety outcomes for
the province, including rural and            outcomes in an effort to improve their         young road users and novice drivers.
remote communities, is of the                knowledge, skills and behaviour as
utmost importance.                           cyclists and pedestrians. It is believed    § Enhance education for cyclists and
                                             introduction to road safety concepts           pedestrians to improve safety.

                                             People are...

                                             28x
                                             more likely to be killed
                                             in a collision when not
                                                                                   and   5x             more likely
                                                                                         to be seriously injured in
                                                                                         a collision when not
                                             wearing a seatbelt                          wearing a seatbelt.

                                                                                                                Road to Zero       23
Priorities for Safe Road Users
in Manitoba

Public Policy                               to combat distracted driving such as           joint decision-making on infrastructure
                                            increased fines and demerits, short-term       and land use planning/development.
and Legislation                             administrative licence suspensions,            Display/advertising signs must also be
Currently, there is no overarching policy   vehicle impoundment and stricter rules         properly managed via public policy
directive or systemic approach to ensure    for novice drivers, similar to those for       and legislation to help avoid
application of Safe Systems Approach in     impaired driving. Manitoba will ensure         driver distraction.
Manitoba. The Safe Systems Approach         that its policies align with other
considers the human vulnerability and       Canadian jurisdictions to proactively          Priorities:
limited tolerance to kinetic force as a     address this issue.                            § Pursue aggressive policy and
central principle in its approach to                                                          legislation that advances the Safe
legislation and road design and             Municipal collaboration and alignment in
                                                                                              Systems Approach and facilitates
operations; for instance, speed limits      road safety policy and planning is critical.
                                                                                              road safety progress.
need to suit the in-built function and      Future success will depend on increased
design of the road.                         provincial outreach, support and               § Enhance alignment between
                                            knowledge-sharing related to highway              provincial and municipal
In recent years, Canadian jurisdictions     network collision screening, capital              road safety policy.
have implemented significantly broader      project management, safety performance
and stricter legislative countermeasures    and site specific evaluations to guide

24    Road to Zero
Medically At-Risk Drivers                     cognitive ability to safely operate a motor   Priorities:
                                              vehicle would reduce risk on the road.
As a greater number of Manitobans age,                                                      § Increase awareness of medically
some may experience physical and                                                               at-risk drivers of all ages.
                                              Should more individuals be determined
cognitive changes affecting their             as medically at-risk to drive, improving
                                                                                            § Pursue expansion of reporting
driving ability and increasing their risk     the affordability and accessibility of
                                                                                               requirements to include a broader
of collision. Greater awareness by mature     transportation options is important
                                                                                               range of health care practitioners.
drivers, their families, and medical          to sustaining health and quality of life.
professionals who understand how              People who can no longer safely drive         § Raise awareness of risks, assessments,
physical and cognitive conditions affect      due to conditions impacting cognitive or         and resources and accommodations
ability can contribute to sound decision      physical ability need access to affordable,      for an aging population and people
making about safe driving.                    convenient and appropriate alternate             with varying driving abilities.
                                              transportation options.
In Manitoba, the policies for assessing                                                     § Accommodate the needs of medically
medical fitness to drive are based on                                                          at-risk vulnerable road users.
The Medical Standards for Drivers,
published by the Canadian Council
of Motor Transport Administrators.
These guidelines reflect a commitment
to medical standards that utilize best
evidence available and focus on a patient’s
ability to drive rather than the medical
diagnosis. It also recognizes provinces
and territories have jurisprudence to
individually assess drivers.

Greater awareness of medically at-risk
drivers of all ages is needed to ensure
medically at-risk drivers are identified at
an earlier stage, and accommodations
can be offered. Expanding reporting
obligations to include more health
care professionals (beyond doctors and
optometrists) with relevant expertise to
assess the potential impact of medical
conditions on a person’s physical and

                                                                                                                   Road to Zero      25
Priorities for Safe Speeds
in Manitoba

                                                  What it looks like on                                         What it looks like in
                                                Manitoba’s road network                                         Manitoba’s culture
  Our Vision                                    Incorporation of environmental and                              Speeding is not tolerated
      for                                        physical changes to support lower
                                                 travel speeds. Alignment of driver
                                                                                                                  or socially accepted.
                                                                                                                 Manitobans understand
 Safe Speeds                                    perceptions of safe travel speeds and
                                                  speeds that are posted. New and
                                                                                                               and accept the link between
                                                                                                              speed and collision likelihood
                                                    emerging speed enforcement                                        and severity.
                                                methods are readily used. Increases
                                                   in transportation efficiency do
                                                          not impact safety.

Safe Speeds
The speed drivers travel greatly                   than 40 km/h in some urban                                tremendous challenge. But once this
influences the chance of surviving a               areas. However, altering speed limits                    change is understood, in the spirit of
collision, regardless of what caused the           in developed communities and                             traffic safety culture, road users are more
collision in the first place. Therefore,           neighbourhoods, which offer well                         likely to comply with speed limits and
ensuring that speed limits are                     established external cues to drivers                     drive to road conditions.
appropriate for the roadway and vehicles           on perceived safe travel speed, is a
traveling upon it, and creating an
environment which supports lower travel
speeds are important steps in reducing             Pedestrian risks increase with higher speeds
the number of crashes, which cause
                                                   If hit by a vehicle driving at:     Person survives the collision    Person does not survive the collision
serious injury or death.
                                                                                                          75%                                  25%
Safe speeds should suit the function and
                                                   40 km/h
level of safety of the road. Setting speed
limits is based on injury minimization
within the Safe Systems Approach. This
means speed limits are set according to             50 km/h                                   45%                                   55%
collision types that are likely to occur, the
impact forces that result from collisions,
and the human body’s tolerance to
withstand crash forces. This may mean
                                                                                     15%                                85%
reducing rural speeds to 80 km/h where              60 km/h
a 100 km/h open road limit is not safe or
encouraging speed limits equal to or less

26     Road to Zero
Public policy focused on a Safe Systems            Currently, there is an accepted tolerance      The Safe Systems Approach incorporates
Approach could resolve competing                   for speed in Manitoba. This may be a           the basic premise that the severity of a
pressures concerning the public and                result of lower perceived risk of having       traffic injury is directly related to the force
business sectors. On one hand, safety              a collision in rural areas due to              of the collision and the resulting impact
advocate groups demand lower speed                 unobstructed sight lines and level             on the body. Speeds need to be controlled
limits around emergency and roadside               terrain. Driving 10 km/h over the limit is     by a combination of policy, technology,
workers, schools and construction                  conventional and misguided practice for        road safety culture and infrastructure
sites, while transportation and                    many Manitobans. Given the number of           design to a level corresponding with the
business sectors demand higher speeds              fatal collisions in rural areas, attitudes     inbuilt safety of the road system itself.
for greater efficiency and movement of             towards exceeding the limit on higher
goods between communities and across               speed highways requires a significant          Priorities:
borders. Furthermore, trade-offs between           adjustment. At the same time, reducing         § Examine new speed management
accessibility and mobility across the              the tolerance for exceeding the speed             strategies to lower risk.
provincial highway network regarding               limit and aggressive driving in urban
safe accommodation of traffic volumes,             areas can contribute to the reduction          § Change the culture on speed
traffic mix, adjacent land use and signage         of serious injury and fatal collisions.          in Manitoba.
placement, and active transportation
require additional consideration in policy
and planning.

Acceptability of going over speed limit in ideal weather conditions

  50%          January 2017 Polling : SPEEDING
  45%
  40%           44%
  35%                                        39%                                                      39%
  30%
  25%
  20%
                                                   22%
  15%                   19%
  10%                                                                                                                              13%
                                                                                                12%
   5%                                                                  3%
                                                                                6%                                          1%
     0
                   None                  Up to 5 km/h                 6 to 9 km/h               10 km/h                  Over 10 km/h

                   Streets in cities/towns             Highways

                                                                                                                           Road to Zero      27
28   Road to Zero
Ensuring Progress

Effective road safety planning and            At the start of each year, the Provincial       Community engagement
implementation begins with informed           Road Safety Committee will provide a            activity:
decision making through multi-sectoral        Manitoba Road Safety Plan Progress
                                                                                              § Summary of committees, working
collaboration. Achieving meaningful           Report summarizing the actions taken
                                                                                                 groups, and other formal meetings
change requires the participation             to make Manitoba roads safer, and their
                                                                                                 planned and held throughout the
and commitment from all road safety           safety outcomes.
                                                                                                 year with local municipalities,
stakeholders and partners namely
                                              This progress report will also be shared with      representatives of First Nations,
government, road safety advocacy
                                              the Canadian Council of Motor Transport            socio-economic groups, government
groups, motor vehicle manufacturers, law
                                              Administrators to demonstrate Manitoba’s           approved interveners, and other
enforcement officers, health professionals,
                                              contribution and progress toward Canada’s          advocates with an interest in
and Manitoba Public Insurance. This Plan
                                              Road Safety Strategy 2025.                         road safety.
brings all provincial parties together to
jointly establish road safety priorities
                                                                                              The Manitoba Road Safety Plan
and collectively pursue strategic actions     The Manitoba                                    identifies priorities for road safety
best suited for Manitoba. Through
ongoing collaboration and support of a        Road Safety Plan                                stakeholders over the next three
                                                                                              years and sets the framework for
safe systems approach, Manitoba aims
to make meaningful change in its traffic
                                              Progress Report                                 collaboration and the development
                                                                                              of strategic actions to address these
safety culture and continue a downward        will include:                                   priorities. This is the first Plan in what
trend in the number of fatalities and
                                                                                              is envisioned as an ongoing strategic
serious injuries related to motor             Progress ‘Towards Zero’:                        approach to road safety, and the
vehicle collisions.
                                              §A
                                                high level and visual summary                ongoing review and renewal of the
                                               illustrating incremental progress              Plan is envisioned in the future.
All Manitobans share responsibility for
                                               made using key targets defined
road safety outcomes. The sharing of
                                               earlier in the document.
responsibility can only occur when all
parties participate and have a vested
                                              Achievements:
interest in the success of Manitoba’s Road
Safety Plan.                                  §A
                                                listing of new or enhanced
                                               programs, legislation or other
To that end, key stakeholders will be          initiatives delivered each year,
engaged when strategic actions are             including special research projects
developed in support of the Plan, thereby,     undertaken and their results.
ensuring all communities, First Nations
and safety advocacy groups have a voice in
the process and are united on the strategy.
The broader public will also be consulted
and informed through various awareness
initiatives and campaigns about the
meaning and significance of ‘Towards
Zero’ and their important role in reducing
human toll.

                                                                                                                      Road to Zero         29
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