QUEEN’S PARK, Ont. — An annual Ontario government road safety initiative was recently welcomed back by the province’s new Transportation Minister Norm Sterling.

Ontario’s Road Safety Challenge 2002 will run through until May 12 and this year includes 27 communities.

“Impaired and aggressive driving, along with the failure to buckle up, are the most serious threats to safety we face on our roadways today,” says Sterling, who took over the reins of the transport department shortly after Ernie Eves was sworn in as Premier. “By working closely with local volunteers, police and road safety organizations, our government has helped make Ontario’s roads the safest in Canada.”

He contends public education initiatives like Road Safety Challenge are continuing to make Ontario’s roadways even safer.

Under the initiative, Communities use local collision statistics to identify and focus on the top three road safety issues in their communities.

The Ontario government is providing $75,000 to assist the local road safety initiatives in this year’s campaign. Support for the campaign is also being provided by private sector sponsors, including $20,000 from State Farm Insurance and $5,000 from 3M.