Hi Kelly,

Did you know more than 90% of road crashes are a result of human error or condition? This means most road accidents are preventable. So, why do motorists continue to drive distracted, impaired or insist on speeding? By obeying the rules of the road and being on the lookout for pedestrians and cyclists - especially in residential and school zones, we can make our roads safer. 

We need more people to use their Road Smarts when on the roads. Help us spread the word by taking our #RoadSMARTS pledge, and sharing the information and link with others. The more people think about #RoadSMARTS while behind the wheel, the safer our roads can become - for all road users.

The Ottawa Safety Council

PS - Road safety news is just a click away! Encourage a road user in your life to learn more about our programs, resources and employment opportunities by clicking here.

October 16 to the 22nd is National Teen Driver Safety Week through Parachute Canada. An awareness week designed to build public awareness of teen driver safety issues and encourage communities to be part of the solution. This year's theme is distracted driving. 

It's an opportunity to join the conversation on social media and to speak to the teen drivers in your life about the dangers of driving distracted, driving impaired and speeding.

By taking an active role in road safety, adults can lead by example. Practice what you preach! In the spring, we shared a blog post on How Young Drivers Can Take a Stand Against Impaired Driving. We encourage you to read it and share the information and resources available. 

From obeying speed limits to ditching distractions and watching out for pedestrians and Crossing Guards, OSC's Executive Director, Jamie Kwong, recently discussed how we can help make school zones safer for our most vulnerable road users with Derick Fage on Rogers Daytime Ottawa.

On Monday, October 3rd the OSC joined Safer Roads Ottawa in their “Be safe, Be seen” awareness campaign along with firefighters. Until October 31st, visit Ottawa Firestations for a free bike light or reflective item.

Cycling at night? By law, when riding at night or in low visibility, you need a white front light and a red rear reflector. Your bike must also have 25cm of white reflective tape on its front forks and 25cm of red reflective tape on the back.

Walking at night? Safety reflectors make pedestrians more visible because they bounce available light back along the path from which it came. When light originated from a car’s headlights, the reflectors appear to light up, making the user of the reflectors more visible to drivers from a farther distance away.

Join our team of dedicated Crossing Crossing Guards! Get outside, meet new people and make a difference in your community.

To learn more, visit: https://www.ottawasafetycouncil.ca/crossing-guard-program/  or reach out to Stephanie, our Recruiter!

Visit the Employment Section of our website for more information.

How often do you or your loved ones use our roads (whether walking, driving or cycling) to get to school, work and play?

The Ottawa Safety Council is a registered charity focused on promoting social impact through education and engagement. Your donations support our road safety programs such as WalkSafe, BestFit Booster, and CycleSafe.

All donations through Canada Helps receive a tax receipt.