01 Jun 2009
National Road Safety Week recently slipped by us without a lot of fanfare, overshadowed by current events deemed more noteworthy. That’s unfortunate because road safety, and more significantly motor vehicle collisions, have a considerable impact upon our lives in Simcoe Muskoka.
Motor vehicle collisions (MVC) are the leading cause of injury-related deaths in our region. Simcoe Muskoka also has higher rates for emergency room visits, hospitalization and deaths due to MVCs compared to Ontario as a whole. Even more disturbing, the MVC death rate in our community is highest among 15 to 29 year olds.
According to the province’s Ministry of Transportation, human error is the sole cause in 57 per cent of all crashes and is a contributing factor in more than 90 per cent of all crashes. That tells us that many of these injuries and deaths don’t have to happen.
Drinking and driving, fatigued driving and speeding are risky behaviours that contribute to the MVCs that in turn result in injuries, hospitalizations and deaths. The nonuse or misuse of seat belts and child restraints can also contribute towards the injuries and deaths incurred from a MVC.
While the number of people who have died from drinking and driving has gone down significantly over the years, drunk driving is still a leading cause of preventable deaths, injuries and disabilities in Canada.
Changes in attitudes and norms around drinking and using recreational vehicles, including snowmobiles, ATVs and boats, are also necessary to reduce the number and severity of injuries and deaths. In one Ontario study of people hospitalized with severe ATV-related injuries, 26 per cent tested positive for blood alcohol concentration. The rate is similar for snowmobilers admitted to hospital with severe injuries—one in four had been drinking.
Impairment doesn’t have to be due to a substance, legal or otherwise – driving can also be impaired by fatigue. According to The Road Safety Monitor, a public opinion survey by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation, nearly 60 per cent of Ontario drivers (approximately five million) admitted to driving while drowsy or fatigued.
Speeding is also a risky behaviour with a considerable impact on road safety. The risk of dying or suffering serious injury is almost three times greater for people in vehicles crashing at 150 km/hr as compared to vehicles crashing at 100 km/hr (on a highway).
Between 2001 and 2005, 37 per cent of all motor vehicle-related deaths, (or 127 of 347 fatalities) on Simcoe Muskoka roads involved drivers who were speeding or lost control of the vehicle.
Other risky behaviours that contribute to MVCs include drugged driving - many drugs, including over-the-counter and prescription medications as well as illicit drugs, can affect the ability to safely operate a vehicle; and driving distractions, including texting and using cell phones. Road design, which affects how often, how far and how fast we drive, traffic volume, and our choice of transportation, can also contribute to MVCs. Designing communities that get people out of their vehicles and offer safer street environments that protect pedestrians and cyclists can reduce or prevent road-related injuries and fatalities.
People can protect themselves by reconsidering the need to drive at all. Alternate options to driving include active or public transportation, or telecommuting. Consider staying at home when weather makes for difficult driving conditions.
For more information on local and provincial rates of emergency room, hospitalizations and deaths as well as factors associated with MVCs, see http://www.simcoemuskokahealthstats.org/ and check under Focus Reports for Road Safety in Simcoe Muskoka, or call Your Health Connection Monday to Friday at
721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520.
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Dr. Gardner is Simcoe Muskoka’s medical officer of health.
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