Drive safe

Driving on Canada's roadways

Canada has one of the best road safety records in the world. Year after year the number of vehicles and drivers in Canada increases, and our road safety record continues to improve. Yet, each year nearly 2,800 people are killed and over 195,000 are seriously injured on Canadian roads.

Follow these tips and make Canadian roads even safer for you and your family:

Basic safety tips

Each time you drive your car:

• Wear your seatbelt. Seat children in the back with the appropriate restraints.
• Treat non-working traffic lights like a four-way stop.
• Watch out for motorcycles and bicycles.

Don't drink or do drugs and drive

Every year over 1,100 Canadians die in alcohol-related collisions - about one-third of the total number of collision fatalities. Thousands more are injured.

Driving a car taps into many basic skills—perception, attention, judgement, decision-making, reaction time—and our ability to coordinate these skills. Alcohol and drug use severely impairs your essential skills and ability to drive.

Safe tires, safe travels

The safety of your vehicle is literally riding on your tires - don't overlook them. Proper tire maintenance also improves fuel economy, extends tire life, provides better vehicle handling, helps prevent avoidable breakdowns and collisions, and reduces exhaust emissions.

For the safest tires:

• Inflate tires to the proper level, and do not exceed the load limit of your vehicle.
• Inspect tires regularly for uneven tread wear, cuts, cracks, bulges and foreign objects, and rotate tires on a regular basis.

Distracted driving

Pay attention to the road. Distracting devices such as Cell phones, GPS, MP3s and other electronics are growing as factors in road collisions across Canada.

Remember:

• Do not use a phone or other distracting devices while driving.
• Turn cell phones off before you start driving. Let callers leave a message.
• If there are passengers in the vehicle, let one of them take or make calls.

Weather

Canada's four seasons make road safety an extremely important issue. Canadians often drive on wet, slippery or snow-covered roads.

Winter safe-driving tips:

• Keep the gas tank at least half full, and add gasoline antifreeze to every second tank.
• Top up antifreeze, transmission, brake and windshield-washer fluids.
• Use a matching set of winter tires or snow tires that meet Transport Canada's standards.
• Make sure tire valves have caps to keep out snow and ice.
• Dress yourself and your children in warm clothing.
• Carry a winter emergency kit.
• Check local weather and road conditions before leaving.
• Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to arrive, if you can.
• Bring a map and a cell phone.

Your winter emergency kit

Be winter road ready with these items:

• Antifreeze
• Windshield-washer fluid
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Blankets
• Candle
• Matches
• Hazard markers or flares
• Snow shovel
• Hats and mitts
• Chocolate or granola bars