Activities and Highlights - 2005

CSC is Canada's leading resource for driver improvement programs through its Defensive Driving Course (DDC), Professional Driver Improvement Course (PDIC) and 55 Alive Mature Driver Program.

These courses aim to develop in the driver a mind-set to prevent collisions despite road conditions or the actions of other road users. The new Green DDC responds to a growing desire for fuel efficiency; fuel-efficient driving is also safer driving. Sales of that program more than doubled over 2004.

As part of a Natural Resources Canada initiative to bring the government’s fleet operations into line with Canada’s commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, CSC delivered DDC to public servants in several government fleets.

Another national employer, Hertz Canada, initiated DDC training for all its drivers, and DDC Online continued to expand.

Gearing Up, Canada's national motorcycle training program, maintained strong enrollment. Since the training program started, the number of motorcycle fatalities has gone down 78 percent, from 903 in 1973 to 199 fatalities in 2004. This is an impressive drop, given that there were also 42 percent more motorcycles on the road in 2004. About 80 percent of all new riders took CSC training.

The increasing popularity of all-terrain vehicles led to significant growth for the ATV RiderCourse. This hands-on course is provided to ATV enthusiasts, especially in Quebec, and as job training. It was revised to include two-ups.

CSC has been a leader in babysitter training since 1970. Its Babysitter Training Course teaches knowledge and skills needed to become a responsible babysitter, skills that will serve the students well into adulthood. A revised and updated version of this popular course was published.

Occupational Health and Safety

Fitness and Wellness

Based on workplace fitness studies, a one percent increase in the proportion of active Canadian adults could result in a $58.9 million increase in the productivity of the Canadian economy.

With funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada, CSC continued to work with the Canadian Council for Health and Active Living at Work. As a new initiative in our 10-year partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada to bring active living programs into workplaces, CSC undertook a Workplace Healthy Living Policy Development environmental scan.

Farm Safety

National Farm Safety Week (March 14 to 20) dealt with farm implement roll-over prevention. According to the Canadian Agricultural Injury Surveillance Program roll-over incidents claim the highest number of fatalities on Canadian farms each year.

Vehicle Operation

From 1997 to 2002, the Canada Safety Council led a study of fleet incentive programs, focusing on long-haul trucking. The researchers found that incentive programs can help transport companies improve safety and reduce costs, and developed a “How To” manual based on best practices. Based on this research, CSC worked with American Express Incentive Services to promote the use of truck driver incentives.

DDC and PDIC (see Training) are primarily used as occupational safety programs for employees who operate a vehicle on the job. The rising popularity of these courses is in part due to increased attention on driving as an employee safety concern both on and off the job. The ATV RiderCourse was offered as job training by industries such as utilities and resource companies.

Traffic Safety

Impaired Driving

In 2003, road crashes involving a driver who had been drinking killed 902 people, of which half (450) were drivers who were legally impaired. The majority of drivers involved in alcohol-related fatal crashes have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over 150 mg%. These high-BAC drivers represent about one percent of the cars on the road at night and on weekends, but nearly half of all drivers killed at those times. Most fall into two major categories: the young (ages 19 to 24) and the hardcore chronic offender.

Controversy surrounds the use of conditional sentences for serious crimes. CSC commissioned a report to summarize current case law and review research on conditional sentences in cases of impaired driving causing death or bodily harm. The case review, published in February showed conditional sentences were issued very selectively. They were ordered when there were no aggravating factors, and typically to individuals who were good candidates for restorative justice. Many of the offenders had suffered personal tragedy as a result of their actions. The researchers found no indication that the courts are mismanaging conditional sentences for these offences, and cited studies which show little deterrent effect related to severity of sentences.

In March, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health held hearings on a Private Members’ which would compel alcohol beverage manufacturers to put warning labels on all bottles warning consumers that they should not drink and drive, or drink while they are pregnant. CSC expressed its concern that such labels would deliver no benefit and, more importantly, would divert resources and attention away from proven measures. Parliament killed the bill in April.

In a June presentation to the Standing Committee on Justice, Human Rights, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, CSC explained why the proposed changes to the Criminal Code regarding drug-impaired driving were premature. Reasons cited were the lack of definitive research on how the use of cannabis and other drugs relates to road crashes, the lack of measurement tools and the need for defensible criteria on the many potentially impairing substances, including medications. CSC recommended that for the present sanctions be taken outside the Criminal Code.

National Safe Driving Week (December 1 to 7) promoted the use of alternative ways to get home safely for drivers who have been drinking. CSC encouraged people to call a family member, a friend or a cab for a safe ride home, use a designated driver; or stay overnight.

CSC participated actively in the Ontario Community Council on Impaired Driving.

National Police Award for Traffic Safety

This award recognizes excellence, dedication and initiative in traffic safety by enforcement officers in Canada. It is co-sponsored by CSC, Transport Canada and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

Superintendent Steven Grant received the 2005 National Police Award for Traffic Safety on behalf of Toronto Police Service members involved in the Operation Ped Safe Program. The winning initiative was developed to address the high number of fatal collisions in the city of Toronto involving pedestrians.

An Honourable Mention Award was presented to Staff Sergeant Scott Diefenbaker of the Waterloo Regional Police Service, Waterloo, Ontario, for his work on the Toyota Matrix Impaired Driving Simulator. Realizing that alcohol was a factor in one out of every four traffic deaths in the Waterloo Region, Staff Sergeant Diefenbaker created an innovative and effective public education tool.

For most front line police officers, protecting the public is more than just a job. In 2005, two individuals received the Transport Canada Director General’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Road Safety: Staff Superintendent Gary Grant of the Toronto Police Service, Toronto, Ontario; and Corporal Peter Holmes of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Cranbrook, British Columbia.

Railway Safety

CSC works with Operation Lifesaver (OL), a program of the Railway Association of Canada and Transport Canada, to reduce collisions at rail/highway grade crossings and inform the public about the dangers associated with trespassing on railway property.

Tracks are for Trains, a CSC activity booklet on railway safety featuring Elmer the Safety Elephant, was produced with funding from the Imperial Oil Foundation and Wabco Freight Car Products.

Limited Speed Motorcycles

Low cost, easy-to-ride motor scooters and mopeds are rapidly gaining in popularity, particularly on urban streets. CSC helped the Ontario government develop regulations related to these vehicles. In November 2005, a special driver’s licence and a new plate for limited speed motorcycles were instituted. CSC piloted a new scooter training course, worked with the Ministry of Transportation to make licensing available to graduates of that program.

Other Activities

In collaboration with the Canadian Trucking Alliance and Natural Resources Canada, CSC participated on the steering committee of an initiative to assess the environmental impact of Long Combination Vehicles. The Ontario Ministry of Transportation asked CSC to assist in revising four of its publications. In addition, CSC participated on several committees, including: the Highway Traffic Safety Roundtable sponsored by the Railway Association of Canada; Transport Canada’s Transportation of Dangerous Goods committee; and the Traffic committee of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

Child Safety

Pedestrian Safety

After the clocks go back at the end of October, children are likely to arrive home from school in the dark; pedestrian fatalities peak at that time of year. This was the third year for the sponsorship of National School Safety Week (October 17 to 23) by the Alliance Tire Professionals of Michelin Canada with the theme See and Be Seen. CSC distributed an activity booklet for Grades 2 and 3, and offered online curriculum-based resources for teachers.

Child Passenger Safety

The Buckle Up Bears program is an initiative of The Co-operators in collaboration with the Canada Safety Council, to raise awareness of correct installation and use of car seats for children.

The program reached out to parents and checked over 1,000 car seats at 78 clinics. Almost 75 percent of car seats inspected were used and installed incorrectly. Common errors included: infant seats not installed rear-facing; forward-facing car seats were not tethered; restraint use lowest for children from 5 to 9 years of age. A Buckle Up Bears growth chart describing how to restrain children properly was distributed as part of the program.

Elmer the Safety Elephant

Elmer the Safety Elephant, CSC's trademarked character, is Canada's leading symbol of child safety. The program included: the School Flag Program; the Elmer Club; bike safety and railway safety activity booklets; an interactive website; and a mascot that appeared in numerous community events.

Community Safety

All-Terrain Vehicles

Canada is the biggest per capita market for ATVs in the world. With this rising popularity, mishaps have also risen; in the category of sports and recreation, ATV-related activities are the third most common cause of severe injuries next to cycling and snowmobiling. Most recreational riders currently do not take formal training. To reach this large and diverse group, CSC worked with the Canadian All-Terrain Vehicle Distributors Council to promote and distribute the booklet Tips for the ATV Rider, and the CD How to Ride Like a PRO. This initiative was the focus for National Summer Safety Week (May 1 to 7).

Gambling

CSC considers gambling addiction a major health and safety problem. It has been linked to suicides as well as a range of other serious personal and social harms such as bankruptcy, family breakup, domestic abuse, assault, fraud, theft and even homelessness. CSC responded to the June release of a Canada West Foundation study on gambling in Canada, expressing concern that governments dependent on gambling income must invest significantly in programs to prevent and address pathological gambling.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health developed with CSC an information piece on how to recognize and deal with gambling addictions, which was the basis for CSC’s National Community and Crime Prevention campaign in November.

Suicide

Suicide has gone largely unrecognized as a health and safety issue in Canada, with an estimated 4,000 per year, and five times that number of non-fatal attempts.

In October, CSC gave a paper entitled “Suicide Prevention and Media” at Canadian Association of Suicide Prevention Annual Conference. The presentation advocated the need for an effective national strategy to fight suicide, based on the successful model of Canada’s Road Safety Vision.

Home Safety

Fire Safety

Smokers' materials are a leading cause of fire-related fatalities and loss in Canada. Since the early 1990s, CSC has been at the forefront in advocating for “fire safe” cigarettes. Self-extinguishing cigarettes protect against fires due to falling asleep with a lit cigarette, discarding it carelessly or leaving it unattended. On October 1, 2005, regulations came into effect under the Tobacco Act requiring tobacco manufacturers to meet an ignition propensity standard to reduce the fire-risk of cigarettes. This made Canada the first country to have a national cigarette ignition propensity standard.

National Home Fire Safety Week (November 24 to 30) offered home fire safety tips for the holiday season, including Christmas trees and lights, candles and cooking.

Seniors

For Canadians 65 years of age or older, falls account for more than half of all injury hospitalizations, and are the leading cause of injuries that result in death. The largest proportion of these falls occur at home, and in many cases, involve stairs.

National Seniors' Safety Week (November 6 to 12) focused on preventing falls on stairs in the home through a series of public service announcements. The Public Health Agency of Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation supported the campaign.

Hot Water Heaters

In most Canadian homes, hot water heaters are set at 60 C (140^oF). Water at that temperature can cause third-degree burns in most adults. Yet temperatures under 50 C may increase the risk of Legionnaires’ disease (a form of pneumonia) due to bacterial growth in the tank. That is why CSC and others objected to a proposed change to the National Plumbing Code (NPC) and the National Building Code that would establish a maximum hot water temperature of 49 C to reduce scald injuries. The final changes to the Codes took into account the fact that water must be stored at the higher temperature as a precaution against bacteria but can be delivered from the tap at a lower temperature to prevent scalds.

Publications and Media

Living Safety, CSC's quarterly family safety magazine, addressed a variety of consumer-oriented topics covering child, home and personal safety. CSC published Safety Canada as its quarterly member newsletter and on its Web site.

CSC’s main Web site (www.safety-council.org) continued to serve as a well-respected source for information on safety with over 2.2 million pages downloaded. The Elmer the Safety Elephant site (www.elmer.ca) provided activities for children. The rider training site (www.ridertraining. org) gave information and course locations for the Gearing Up motorcycle training program.

CSC maintained ongoing communication with the media through campaigns and news releases, and responded to inquiries from reporters. Media tracking showed that CSC reached over 82 million readers. This represents a significant reach into the Canadian population with important safety messages.

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