HALIFAX, N.S. — Nova Scotia has one of the safest driving records in the country according to national traffic collision statistics.

The province has the third lowest rate of injuries, and the fourth lowest rate of fatalities compared to other provincial and territorial roads. The data is reported in the 2002 Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics publication.

“Our road safety record is improving, but collision rates are still too high,” said Transportation and Public Works Minister Ron Russell. “We will work to reduce these rates even more over the coming years.”

Nova Scotia is working with police, industry, and other organizations to reach benchmarks set by Road Safety Vision 2010, a national plan that aims to reduce the number of road users killed and seriously injured by 2010. The province’s Road Safety Advisory Committee assists government in developing road safety priorities and programs.

In 2002, Nova Scotia had 912.4 injuries and 13.5 fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers. The rates in Canada are 1076.3 and 13.9 respectively. The 2002 Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics also show that Nova Scotia had the third lowest rate on the basis of traffic deaths per billion vehicle kilometres travelled.

Deaths and hospitalizations due to motor vehicle collisions have noticeably declined across Canada in recent decades. For example, since 1982 the road traffic death rate has declined by almost 50 per cent in Canada, and almost 60 per cent in Nova Scotia. This decrease has occurred despite increasing numbers of vehicles and licensed drivers on our roads.

More information can be found at www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/tp/tp3322/2002/menu.htm