The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Service NL:

Minister Commemorates National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House to recognize today as National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims. Today we pay tribute to the lives of loved ones lost or those seriously injured on our province’s roadways.

National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims also provides an opportunity to raise awareness of road safety, and the true consequences of dangerous driving practices. I urge all honourable members to join me in encouraging Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to reflect upon the impact of unsafe driving habits, and to reflect on ways to make road travel safer for their families and communities.

This government is committed to improving safety on our roadways. We have maintained that commitment with our work in bringing forward various enhancements and updates to the Highway Traffic Act.

Mr. Speaker, this week I was pleased to bring forward amendments to the act to protect enforcement, emergency and service personnel at roadside. Drivers approaching these workers must slow down and move over to give a wide berth for the safety of those working. This will have a major impact on the risks faced by these individuals. In addition, tractors and other slow-moving vehicles will be prohibited from travelling on highways where the speed limit is greater than 80 km per hour, reducing the occurrence of potentially dangerous scenarios caused by interrupting the flow of fast-moving traffic.

Mr. Speaker, if we take it upon ourselves to affect positive change and put forward a culture of greater road safety in our province, we can most certainly make a difference. By taking the time to plan our trips, eliminating distractions and driving more defensively, we are taking important steps toward saving lives on our roads.

In memory of those lost or seriously injured, I urge all drivers in Newfoundland and Labrador to look at their own habits. Please slow down, buckle up and watch the road ahead, and never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The life you save may be your own or a loved one’s.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

2013 11 20                                     2:15 p.m.