Halifax council aims to eliminate deaths and injuries from car accidents

Halifax council unanimously passed an amended road safety strategy on Tuesday that aims to eventually resultin zero deaths and injuries from car accidents on Halifax's roads, but don't call it a plan yet.

According to the strategy, on average there are 1,400 personal injuries and 14 deaths per year in the municipality stemming from vehicle collisions.

The strategy's goal is a 20 per cent reduction in fatal and injury collisions within five years, moving toward an end goal of having zero deaths and injuries on Halifax roads.

Councillorstook issue with calling the strategy a plan as it did not contain a formal budget or a lengthy list of initiatives. As a result, council agreed to renamethe Strategic Road Safety Plan to the Strategic Road Safety Initiative.

"It's a step in the right direction, but it's not a plan yet," said Coun. Matt Whitman.

The city's strategyfollows a Vision Zero principle, which is an international road traffic safety project aimed at achieving no fatalities or serious injuries involving road traffic.

The city's strategydoes not set a goal of zero, but instead states themunicipalitywill move "towardzero."

Deputy MayorWayeMason said though some fatalities may be unavoidable, he wants to move toward Vision Zero by 2038. This 20-year goal was passed unanimously.

The city's strategyincludes updating existing road safety initiatives, such as the installation of five new sidewalks with rectangular flashing beacons on them.

Halifax's traffic managementstaff will also be initiating a pilot project this summer to install fluorescent yellow-green material on sign posts at uncontrolled marked crosswalks, according to the plan.

Traffic manager Taso Koutroulakistold council the plan's Vision Zerofatalities mission statement was faced with significant debate.

He said there were some stakeholders who brought up higher percentages than the agreed upon 20 per cent five-year goal, with some bringing forward goals of upwards of 40 per cent.

However,Koutroulakis said a 10 to 15 per centreduction over five years is in line with other road safety programs, such as London, Hamilton, and the Region of Peel in Ontario.

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