The Toronto Police Service is setting up enforcement of traffic safety this summer.
Details of the 2019 Summer Safety Traffic Initiatives were released by their traffic services division at a news conference held on Monday morning.
In an effort to reduce distracted driving, injuries to pedestrians and fatalities, as well as alleviate congestion in the city’s downtown core, additional resources are being dedicated to enforce the rules of the road.
“We are going to concentrate our efforts in the downtown – south of Bloor Street, Dufferin Street on the west, Parliament Street on the east, to the lake on the south,” George Johnstone, supervisor of parking enforcement operations with Toronto police, said.
Police said research shows that drivers who speed, drive distracted, drive aggressively or drive impaired cause collisions that affect victims who are “vulnerable road users.”
“These crimes are preventable and require people to choose to do things differently when behind the wheel of a motor vehicle,” a news release issued by police said. “Driving safely must be the main priority.”
According to the news release, 66 people died on Toronto roads in 2018 and 81 per cent of those people were “vulnerable road users.”
Officers said the initiative is also a pillar to three other traffic initiatives in effect this summer:
- Parking enforcement heavy truck and rush hour route enforcement
- Focus on vulnerable road users – safety for cyclists campaign between June 17 and 23
- Focused on vulnerable road users – back to school campaign between September 3 and 8
