This targets the people who drink and drive regularly, who don't wear seat belts, who speed, run red lights and otherwise drive dangerously. Young drivers are another important target. While they account for less than five per cent of licensed drivers, they make up almost nine per cent of drivers killed and more than 11 per cent of those seriously injured. We will work for a 20 per cent decrease in injuries and fatalities of young drivers between the ages of 16 and 19. The graduated licensing systems in place in a number of provinces are working, and the 2010 vision recommends that the rest of the country adopt such a system.
Commercial vehicles figure importantly in improving road safety.
Most of the victims are in passenger vehicles. We are looking for a 20 per cent decrease in the number of people killed or seriously injured in crashes involving commercial vehicles. National Safety Code standards, which address issues such as securing cargo, have been effective in keeping the incident rate relatively constant, despite the substantial increase in commercial truck activity in the last five years. And Transport Canada is currently addressing the issues of hours of service for drivers and carrier safety ratings. But we can also focus on educating motorists on how to operate their vehicles safely when driving near trucks.