For the first four months of 2019, pedestrians made up nearly half – six of 14 people – of the fatalities on Manitoba’s public roadways, according to Manitoba Public Insurance.
“One death is too many. And with the news of these concerning numbers, there’s no better time for Manitobans to focus on road safety than Canada Road Safety Week (May 14-20),” said Satvir Jatana, vice-president responsible for Communications, Manitoba Public Insurance.
“This annual awareness campaign focuses on behaviours that put drivers, passengers and other road users most at risk: distracted driving, impaired driving, non-seatbelt use, speeding and incidents involving vulnerable road users. Pedestrians can be particularly vulnerable since they don’t have a ton of steel protecting them like occupants within a vehicle.”
On average in Manitoba, about 12 pedestrians are killed and about 130 are injured yearly. About half of all pedestrian deaths occur at an intersection, while one in 10 deaths take place either between intersections or while walking on the road.
“Road safety is the responsibility of all Manitobans,” said Jatana. “Behind these numbers are real lives lost and families left to deal with the senseless and often unnecessary loss of a loved one. As a community we need to start thinking differently about road safety. We need to change the conversation and create a culture where even one motor vehicle fatality is considered one too many.”
About Canada Road Safety Week
Canada Road Safety Week is an enforcement-driven initiative led by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), and more specifically by the CACP’s Traffic Safety Committee. It is designed to increase public compliance with safe driving measures in order to save lives and reduce injuries on our roads.
This road safety awareness campaign is part of the broader Canada’s Road Safety Strategy 2025, which aims to make Canada’s roads the safest in the world. To this end, the campaign is focused on behaviours that put drivers, passengers, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users most at risk.
