GRADUATED LICENCING: THE ONTARIO EXPERIENCE

• Graduated licencing was implemented in Ontario in April 1994.

• An interim report on graduated licencing in Ontario looked at more than 233,000 people who became novice drivers in 1993 and the more than 235,000 people who became novice drivers in 1995 and tracked data from 1993 to 1996.

• Results of the Ontario report showed that, overall, collisions by novice drivers were down dramatically by 31 per cent and that fatality and injury rates among novice drivers were down by 24 per cent.

• From Ontario's perspective, graduated licencing has meant:

  • 900 fewer visits to hospital emergency rooms;

  • 2,000 fewer days in hospital for collision victims;

  • 800 fewer ambulance calls; and,

  • 13,000 fewer hours of police time required to investigate collisions

• The Ontario government estimates that $34 million has been saved as a result of reductions in:

  • emergency room visits;

  • hospital days;

  • ambulance calls;

  • police time; and,

  • property damage to motor vehicles.

• The Ontario Government maintains that graduated driving is saving lives and that it is an important component of road safety in the province.