Service NL
November 19, 2014

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Tony Cornect, 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 the National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims. This morning, I had the honour and privilege to commemorate this day with the families, friends and colleagues of vehicle collision victims, as we all paid tribute to the lives of loved ones lost or those seriously injured on our province’s roadways.

The goal of the National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims is to raise awareness of the number of people who have been affected by the consequences of highway collisions, including those who have been injured, those who have died, and their families and friends. Mr. Speaker, nearly 2,100 individuals, or one person every five hours, are killed every year on Canada’s roads.

When we get behind the wheel, we rarely, if ever, think of how that journey could impact our future or the future of those close to us. And this speaks to this year’s theme of Drive with Caution, Future Ahead.

Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to improving safety on our roadways. We have maintained that commitment through our work in bringing forward various improvements to the Highway Traffic Act. These improvements include more specifically defining ‘school zones’ and doubling the fines for speeding within these zones, as well as establishing laws related to slow-moving vehicles being prohibited from travelling on highways where the speed limit is greater than 80 km per hour. These improvements are in addition, Mr. Speaker, to changes that brought in the move over law.

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

In memory of those lost or seriously injured, I urge all Honourable Members to join me in encouraging Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to reflect upon the impact of unsafe driving habits, and to rethink the way you drive. Please slow down, buckle up and watch the road ahead, and never drive impaired or distracted by cell phones or other technology. The life you save may be your own or a loved one’s.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

2014 11 19                                       2:20 p.m.