Minister Noel highlights safe driving initiatives

Walter Noel, Minister of Government Services and Lands, says the hiring of five new RCMP traffic officers will contribute to government�s overall strategy to improve driving safety, reduce accidents and control insurance costs.

"The Canada Safety Council�s National Safe Driving Week is coming to a close, but the need for safe driving is not. We all have to commit ourselves to better driving to prevent injuries and financial loss. Safe driving is the only real solution. This should be remembered particularly during this holiday season. Causing sorrow and cost is not a good way to start a New Year," said Minister Noel.

The Department of Government Services and Lands is actively seeking ways to reduce accidents, personal injuries and death, and will be taking strong actions and increasing penalties. The recently-introduced Graduated Driver Licencing Program helps novice drivers, regardless of age, acquire the skills needed to safely operate motor vehicles, according to Minister Noel.

"We participate in a national strategy to achieve a 40 per cent decrease in the percentage of fatalities or serious injuries involving alcohol by 2010," said Minister Noel. " We support the National Occupant Restraint Program to achieve or maintain a 95 per cent seat belt wearing rate, proper use of child restraints and a 40 per cent reduction in the number of unbelted seriously injured vehicle occupants by 2010.

"The Department of Government Services and Lands also carries out various information campaigns focusing on seat belt usage, drinking and driving, and safe driving practices. Our highway enforcement officers continue their roadside enforcement programs in conjunction with the RCMP and the RNC. Cell phone use by drivers while driving is a growing problem. Citizens have told us they are very concerned about this. We are now looking at a ban on hand-held phones. Recent polls demonstrate that around 80 per cent of people in Canada and 95 per cent of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians want restrictions on cell phone use by drivers.

"We are now reviewing the report of the Impaired Driving Committee. It has recommended a number of initiatives to combat impaired driving including increased driver licence suspension periods, vehicle seizure and impoundment, and enhanced alcohol education programs. It also recommends a 10-year suspension for convictions of impaired driving causing bodily harm, and a lifetime suspension for conviction of impaired driving causing death. And we are pursuing the possibility of adopting an ignition interlock system. The committee's report is available on government's Web site at www.gov.nl.ca/gsl/consultation/.

"The Department of Government Services and Lands is in the process of reviewing the hundreds of submissions which have been made in response to our automobile insurance reform consultation paper. We intend to incorporate the best options available to ensure citizens of our province have good coverage at reasonable cost. But we will only make changes which have broad public support. Our goal in all these activities is to increase safety and reduce costs."

Media contact: Rick Callahan, Communications, (709) 729-4860.

2001 12 07                           4:25 p.m.