The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is embarking on a massive multi-year campaign to improve road safety.
The action plan calls for a review and adjustment of speed limits, traffic calming and pedestrian crossings at certain high risk locations, upgrading signalized intersections, an updated sidewalk policy, possibly reducing speed in school zones, reviewing illumination at collision hot spots, investigating the possibility of a red light camera program, and reviewing and updating rural road standards.
Chatham-Kent police reported 38 fatal crashes from 2018 to 2022, or about eight per year, which they said is double the provincial average per capita. Police noted that approximately 50 per cent of the fatal collisions involved alcohol. There have also been 13 fatalities during the first nine months of this year, according to police.
The report presented to Council also showed drinking and driving fatal crashes in Chatham-Kent are double the provincial average, while unbelted occupant fatalities are triple the average in Ontario.
"The impaired driving rates in 2023 boggle my mind, but that's still a concern to such a significant extent in Chatham-Kent. So, I really hope that as a community we can do better with that," said Councillor Alysson Storey. "Vision Zero is just that. It means zero fatalities from collisions and there are places in the world that have achieved that. It's hard to imagine that scenario, but it's being done. So, I'm really encouraged by this."
Vision Zero is a concept to eliminate severe and fatal injuries due to crashes. It was introduced in Sweden in 1997 and has been adopted by numerous jurisdictions around the world, including 23 Canadian municipalities.
A report approved by Council Monday night said all of the initiatives are subject to staff and funding availability.
Administration is promising an annual report to Council on road safety efforts and progress that will also provide an opportunity for changes to be recommended to the Road Safety Action Plan as trends change and as the effectiveness of the elements within the plan is measured.
