U.S. traffic safety: Lessons to learn from Canada's practices?

U.S. traffic safety: Lessons to learn from Canada's practices?

In an effort to reverse the rising trend of road fatalities and meet the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) 30x30 target, a study calls for the U.S. to adopt "Safe System" policies, similar to those implemented in Canada.

Canada's "Safe System" approach, which emphasises overlapping layers of protection, has led to a significant reduction in road deaths. Key policies that could help the U.S. include stronger distracted driving laws, stricter seat belt enforcement, widespread use of speed safety cameras, graduated licensing for young drivers, and administrative penalties for low-level impaired driving combined with roadside breath testing without suspicion.

Canada's comprehensive mobile phone bans for drivers have contributed to a significant reduction in distracted driving fatalities. Seat belt laws are stricter and better enforced compared to many U.S. states, and extensive speed camera networks are deployed to enforce speed limits and deter speeding, a major risk factor in crashes. Graduated licensing programs with stricter enforcement have led to a 52% reduction in young driver fatalities. For impaired driving, most Canadian provinces impose administrative penalties for drivers with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) between 0.05% and 0.08%, unlike many U.S. states where penalties begin at 0.08% BAC. Canadian police can require roadside breath tests from any driver without suspicion, and refusal is a criminal offense, enhancing deterrence of impaired driving.

These policies have collectively contributed to an 18% reduction in Canadian road deaths between 2011 and 2020, contrasting with a 33% increase in U.S. fatalities during a similar period.

Canada is also advancing connected and automated vehicle safety through its evolving regulatory framework, which may further enhance road safety as these technologies mature.

Pedestrian and cyclist deaths rose 64% in the U.S. but fell 17% in Canada. Achieving the 30x30 goal requires a multifaceted policy shift, inspired in part by the "Safe System" approach adopted by Canada and other nations.

The IIHS President, David Harkey, stated that the U.S. could learn a lot from Canada's road safety policies, as both countries share cultural similarities. The IIHS and Canada's Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) suggest that the U.S. could substantially reduce road deaths by adopting the kind of evidence-based laws that have proven effective in Canada.

If the U.S. had laws as widely implemented as Canada's in the areas of distracted driving, seat belt use, and speed safety cameras, road deaths would have been lower, though still rising. The U.S. currently ranks below Canada in road safety performance, with per capita crash deaths more than twice the average of 28 other high-income countries surveyed.

The "Safe System" approach aims to create overlapping layers of protection to prevent fatalities from a single mistake. Thoughtful implementation, stakeholder consultation, public education, and transparency are critical elements of success in implementing road safety policies.

The IIHS has launched its 30x30 Initiative, a plan to reduce U.S. road fatalities by 30% by 2030. If successful, this could potentially save thousands of lives each year.

1. To achieve the 30x30 target set by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the U.S. could adopt the "Safe System" policies similar to those implemented in Canada, which have led to a significant reduction in road deaths.
2. The U.S. could learn from Canada's road safety policies, especially in areas such as distracted driving, seat belt use, and speed safety cameras, as these areas have shown to have a substantial impact on reducing road deaths when implemented effectively.
3. The "Safe System" approach, which emphasizes overlapping layers of protection, not only applies to car-accidents, but also extends to promoting general-news about fitness-and-exercise, health-and-wellness, and perhaps even preventing pedestrian and cyclist accidents by improving infrastructure and promoting safe practices.

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