1. Canadian Association of Road Safety Professionals
May 26 – 29, 2019
Paul Boase
Gael Italiano
Transport Canada
Thank you for the opportunity to present.

2. VRU Fatalities in Heavy Vehicle Collisions
Heavy vehicles continue to pose a safety risk to VRUs despite evolving technologies and infrastructure changes
The numbers if fatalities do not show a consistent downward trend from one year to the next
Increase road usage by VRUs all year round has resulted in an increase of conflicts with heavy vehicles.
% of VRU Fatalities involved in Heavy Vehicle Collisions in Canada
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
BIC
2.5%
2.2%
4.1%
2.1%
3.7%
4.4%
2.4%
1.8%
3.5%
PED
8.1%
10.8%
12.1%
13.5%
10.7%
12.6%
13.1%
11.4%
10.4%
VRU TOTAL
13.3%
14.3%
16.0%
14.8%
15.8%
17.5%
13.8%
12.2%
16.6%

3. Task Force – Creation, Governance, Mandate
Sept 2016 – The minister approved the creation of a Task Force
Two-tiered governance was determined to best facilitate the project while encouraging/promoting a collaborative approach
Create a tool that consolidates potential safety measures, including strategies, education, communication, technologies and infrastructure designs for consideration by jurisdictions, city planners and key stakeholders

4. Structure of Task Force
Steering Committee :
provincial/territorial representatives
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)
Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)
Canadian Council of Transport Administrators (CCMTA)
Advisory Panel :
Cycling and pedestrian advocacy groups
Public awareness
Infrastructure and enforcement communities
Trucking/Bus organizations

5. Process Detailed literature review was undertaken
Published sources
Request to AP members to provide documents
Documents were screened using an assessment tool
Based on CCMTA’s assessment tool for 2025
AP divided into 3 groups and asked to review document and completed form
TC staff all reviewed all documents and completed forms
Results formed the basis for the 1st draft

6. 57 Countermeasures Identified
Assessment process identified 57 safety measures, organized into 9 sub-sections based on their type:
SUB-SECTIONS
Road Safety Strategies
Rules of the Road
Automated Enforcement
Side Guards and Side Skirts
Communications, Awareness & Education
Speed
Intersection Design and Traffic Control
Visibility and Conspicuity
Roadway and Cycling Infrastructure
These were further sub-divided into Specific and Non-Specific

7. Strategies – The Foundation
Range from complete safety strategies to those that apply to specific actions
STRATEGIES
Bicycle Plan
Canada’s Road Safety Strategy 2025
Complete Streets
Monitoring Strategy – Forensic Review of Collision Data
Safe System Approach
Shared Spaced Approach
Sharing Interests / Collaboration Strategy
Speed Management
Sustainable Development Goals
United Nation’s Decade of Action for Road Safety
Vision Zero / Sustainable Safety
Walking Strategy

8. Roundtable Consultations
Regional Roundtable Sessions
4 cities across Canada – Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver
Mostly local representatives i.e. transportation agencies, the province, municipality, regional trucking, enforcement, cycling and pedestrian associations
Specific safety measures were selected plus other discussions
Approximately 20 people per group for a total of 78 people
359 comments were received, 248 were actioned (69%)
amalgamation and addition of 5 new safety measures
improved language to increase clarity
increased number of graphics
improved layout design
increased evidence, particularly Canadian evidence

9. Web Based Consultations
Public Consultation
An interactive web page allowed all Canadians with an opportunity to comment electronically
Draft report was available on the site
Specific questions were provided for comment and general comments were also encouraged
Site was interactive to promote conversations
42 respondents with 68 comments
Some were deemed out of scope
Some were kept for future stages

10. Deliverables
Feedback from both the roundtable and web consultation were analyzed and categorized to be used to shape the next report rendition
Final report does not rank the safety measures nor does it may any specific recommendations regarding action to be taken
The goal was to provide a reference tool for jurisdictions and stakeholders to use when considering safety measures to address their unique safety concerns regarding VRUs

11. The Report
The Safety Measures for Cyclists and Pedestrians around Heavy Vehicles: Summary Report
Available on the Council of Deputy Ministers’ web site at: 4

12. Moving Forward VRU ǀ UVR Road to Success – Pilot Projects
Validate safety measures in the Canadian context
Zoom in on Evidence
Assess VRU-heavy vehicle collision scenario, injury outcomes to support evidence-based standards, prioritize projects, allocate resources
Enhance data sharing collection practices / collaboration with partners
VRU ǀ UVR

13. Moving Forward (cont.) VRU ǀ UVR
Process for Change: Safety Regulations
Transport Canada (TC) will explore next steps for updating or modifying safety standards/regulations, including:
Detection and visibility systems (e.g. smart-camera system), based on pilots underway across Canada
Automatic emergency braking systems that detect pedestrians and cyclists
Advanced driver assist systems and collision warning systems on school buses
TC is also advancing two initiatives to support collaborative approach:
Support knowledge exchange by leveraging existing platforms to share information and support change
Develop a central repository for VRU safety initiatives, including data, lessons learned from pilots, research, and experiences
VRU ǀ UVR

14. Questions Paul.Boase@tc.gc.ca www.tc.gc.ca www.comt.ca