Amending the Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, Reg. 106(1) (Motion #47-06)

Moved by Edwards, Pilon. Approved on September 21, 2006, by the Sudbury & District Board of Health.

Motion

WHEREAS Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act does not restrict the number of passengers who can ride in a motor vehicle to the number of working seatbelts;

AND WHEREAS the Canada Safety Council advocates that motor vehicle regulations be amended to limit the number of passengers to the number of working seatbelts;

AND WHEREAS in 2003, Transport Canada reports that failure to wear a seatbelt resulted in 37% of passengers being fatally injured and 20% being seriously injured;

AND WHEREAS Transport Canada also reports that only 86% of all vehicle occupants wore seatbelts in 2002/2003 in contrast to Canada’s National Road Safety Target for seat belt use of 95% by 2010;

AND WHEREAS the Durham Region Health Department, and the Thunder Bay District Health Unit have passed resolutions supporting the amendment of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Sudbury & District Health Unit urge the Ministry of Transportation to amend the Ontario Highway  Traffic Act such that the number of passengers who can ride in a motor vehicle is restricted to the equal number of working seatbelts, with the exception of those vehicles that are exempted from the Ontario Highway Traffic Act;

AND FURTHER THAT copies of the letter be sent to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Children and Youth Services, the Minister of Health and Long Term Care, the Minister of Health Promotion, local Members of Provincial Parliament, the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa), Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA), all Ontario Boards of Health, member municipalities, Ontario Provincial Police and Insurance Bureau of Canada for their support and action.

This item was last modified on June 12, 2015