For the first time, the World Health Organization (WHO) is using its annual health message to target road safety. The slogan – Road safety is no accident – was chosen to focus the world’s attention on this growing transportation and public health problem and to highlight the fact that traffic fatalities and injuries can be avoided if governments and other key stakeholders implement the measures necessary to prevent them.

At present, an estimated 1.2 million road users are killed in traffic collisions each year throughout the world, and many millions more are seriously injured. On April 7, 2004, road safety stakeholders are being asked to promote awareness, understanding and discussion of road safety issues and to initiate or implement actions to address these concerns.

• has prepared, in co-operation with Health Canada, an overview of Canadian road safety issues:
  • Road Safety in Canada - An Overview (HTML version)
    Road Safety in Canada - An Overview (PDF version, 130 kb) (see below for information on using the PDF file)
      
• has a new fact sheet on vulnerable road users, - pedestrians, motorcyclists, and cyclists - one of the principal focuses of World Health Day 2004
    
• will be participating in the new national task force on vulnerable road users through the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA)
    
• will be undertaking a pilot study of crashes involving vulnerable road users
    
• is continuing to work with the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Europe, in developing motor vehicle design requirements, intended to reduce injuries to pedestrians, and to a lesser degree to cyclists, in the event of a collision

• Canada
  • Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
  • Health Canada
• International Organizations
  • World Health Organization
  • Pan-American Health Organization
• Other Countries
  • United States: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Or write us at:  

Road Safety and Motor Vehicle
Regulation Directorate
Transport Canada
Tower C, Place de Ville
330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N5