QUEEN’S PARK, Ont. — The annual Road User Safety Challenge coordinated by the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) will now run through until May 13 in a record 35 communities across Ontario.

“I am impressed by the high number of volunteers who come together in safety-conscious communities all over the province for one common cause: to promote road user safety,” says Transportation Minister Brad Clark. “Road user safety is a responsibility we all must share.”

MTO has provided a total of $75,000 in funding to the 35 communities participating in the Road Safety Challenge, as well as educational and promotional materials such as brochures, banners and t-shirts.

Communities will be operating activities under six road user safety themes, which include impaired driving, aggressive driving, unsafe driving — this also takes into account sharing the road with larger vehicles, as well as child safety.

“We want to reduce the incidence of road rage in Ontario, and we need to raise public awareness about countering aggressive and unsafe driving behaviors on our roads,” says Clark.