No. H 068/07
For release April 23, 2007
OTTAWA -- Today marks the beginning of the first ever Global Road Safety Week,
focusing on young road users.
"Road safety is about taking action to prevent fatalities and injuries, and it
is everyone's responsibility," said the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of
Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. "Global Road Safety Week is a great
opportunity to raise awareness about the leading factors and impacts of road
traffic fatalities and injuries, and to promote action toward prevention."
Annually, there are over 1.2 million people killed and another 50 million
injured in traffic collisions worldwide. More than 40 per cent of them are under
26 years of age. Road traffic injuries are the second leading cause of death for
people in this age group. Young men are nearly three times more likely to be
killed or injured on the roads than young women.
"Canada's New Government is committed to improving safety on Canadian roads by
working with our safety partners in support of Road Safety Vision 2010, which
targets a 30 per cent reduction in fatalities and serious injuries by 2010,"
added Minister Cannon.
In recognition of Global Road Safety Week, Jennifer Heatley of Halifax, Nova Scotia;
Candace Salmon of Maugerville, New Brunswick; Jonathan Beauvais of
Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec; Nicole Lacroix of Barrie, Ontario; Morgan Slater of
Etobicoke, Ontario; Natalie Rouskov of Toronto, Ontario; Duane Ironstand of
Shortdale, Manitoba and William Hui of Vancouver, British Columbia are attending
the World Youth Assembly for Road Safety in Geneva, Switzerland on April 23rd
and 24th, 2007. All delegates are Canadian youth between the ages of 22 and 26.
Among other activities, these delegates will discuss and adopt a road safety
declaration expected to be presented to the United Nations. They will also
attend the Canadian Road Safety Youth Conference in Montreal from June 6th to
8th, to help engage other young Canadians in improving road safety in their
communities.
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Contacts:
Natalie Sarafian
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport,
Infrastructure and Communities, Ottawa
613-991-0700
Fiona Macleod
Communications
Tranport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada.
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