Road safety

Road safety is a shared responsibility for all travellers — whether walking, driving, rolling or cycling.

As part of the Strategic Road Safety Plan, the municipality is committed to the Towards Zero approach which is focused on moving closer towards zero fatalities and injuries for people using any mode of transportation.  In 2018, Region Council approved the goal of a 20 percent reduction of fatal and injury collisions by 2023.

Heads Up Halifax 

The 2020 Heads Up Halifax campaign has been expanded in both scope and scale.

In past years, the multi-month initiative focused primarily on crosswalk safety. The campaign, now running year-round, not only increases efforts to promote crosswalk safety but also encompasses the broader scope of road safety — and the importance of shared responsibility amongst all commuters — whether they be walking, driving, rolling or cycling.

The broadened scope of the campaign better aligns with the Strategic Road Safety Plan and the Towards Zero approach which moves the municipality closer towards zero fatalities and injuries for people using any mode of transportation. In particular, the evolved Heads Up Halifax campaign supports the Council-approved goal of a 20 per cent reduction in fatal and injury collisions by 2023.

Follow us on Twitter,  Facebook and Instagram for #HeadsUpHalifax information including:

• safe practices on the road
• rules for crosswalks
• how to use new infrastructure such as two-stage bicycle turn boxes
• municipal efforts to improve road safety across the Halifax region (e. g.  rectangular rapid flashing beacons, bump-outs, protected bike lanes,  curb ramps with tactile walking surface indicators etc.)

Bright Ideas Challenge

Introduced in 2019 as part of the annual Heads Up Halifax campaign, the Bright Ideas Challenge asks residents to partner with not-for profit organizations to submit proposals on how they can take action to increase road safety. Successful applicants are awarded funding to help turn their ideas into a reality.

The 2020 Bright Ideas Challenge will be launched this summer. More information on rules, eligibility and evaluation criteria will be provided in the coming months. 

Bright Ideas 2019 winners 

Last year, 11 proposals were eligible to be considered for evaluation. Awards were granted for five successful proposals submitted by the following four organizations:

• Crosswalk Safety Society of Nova Scotia
  • $1,000 award towards the development and distribution of a brochure that educates both drivers and pedestrians about crosswalk rules and suggestions for behaviour to improve everyone’s safety.
  • $5,000 award towards the creation of fridge magnets which will serve as a daily reminder of behaviour tips for drivers and pedestrians to contribute to crosswalk safety.
• Ecology Action Centre
  • $5,000 award towards the Safety for All education effort for newcomers. Focusing on those whose first language is Arabic, Mandarin or French, this door hanger print utilizes translated materials and icon-focused graphics to convey safe pedestrian practices. 
• Nova Scotia Community College
  • $5,000 award towards the development of a crossblock lighting prototype. Goal is to create a self-sustaining, solar powered system that can use small light beams to create a simulated barrier when someone is crossing.  NSCC will provide a status update by no later than May 1, 2020.
• Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre
  • $5,000 award towards the coordination and facilitation of a crosswalk safety hackathon for students, youth and community members. The hackathon will aim to develop innovative solutions to challenges associated with crosswalk and road safety focusing on root cause analysis, ideation and solution development. This hackathon is planned for March 2020. 

Make road safety a priority

• Avoiding all distractions when driving, walking, rolling or cycling into a crosswalk area.
• Slow down and scan the street and sidewalks when approaching crosswalks and intersections. Ensure you are seen, and your intentions understood. No assumptions. No surprises.
• Drivers must yield to pedestrians waiting to cross or when they’re already in a crosswalk. Remember, crosswalks exist on all legs of an intersection, whether marked or unmarked.

• When entering a crosswalk from the sidewalk, make sure to press the button to activate the Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB), where available. RRFBs use LED light-sources that flash with high-frequency, increasing visibility at uncontrolled, marked crosswalks. Installation of RRFBs has moved from a pilot project to standard within the municipality. 

• When boarding or exiting a Halifax Transit bus along the South Park Street bike lane, use the shared lane. If you are cycling, stop behind the white markings and yield to those using the bus stop. Learn more about protected bike lanes. 

• The South Park Street bike lanes features a two-stage bicycle turn box. If you are cycling, enter the turn box on a green light and wait. On the green light for the cross street, travel through the intersection. Learn more about protected bike lanes. 

• When entering a crosswalk from the sidewalk, make sure to press the button to activate the overhead flashing light, where available — it’s the law.

• When driving, you cannot stop or park a vehicle within five metres of a crosswalk.

• Bump-outs improve road safety by reducing the pedestrian crossing distance at crosswalks, improving visibility between pedestrians and motorists.

• The South Park Street bike lanes features a two-stage bicycle turn box. If driving and turning right, wait behind the marking for the cyclist to clear the box before proceeding. You cannot turn right on red. Learn more about protected bike lanes. 

• The municipality continues to improve curb ramps by including Tactile Walking Surface Indicators, which provide wayfinding cues on sidewalks for people with visual impairments.

• Fluorescent reflective strips have been installed on all basic, side mounted crosswalk signs across the municipality. These strips improve visibility at crosswalks, particularly during nighttime conditions.

• When entering a crosswalk from the sidewalk, activate the Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI), where available. LPIs provide pedestrians an advanced walk signal at signalized intersections. This helps to improve driver yielding behaviour by giving pedestrians a head start to cross the street before vehicles turn in the intersection. 

More information on pedestrian/vehicle collision statistics can be found online. 

Debunking myths about crosswalks

Halifax Regional Police and RCMP remind pedestrians and drivers of the laws around crosswalk safety.  

I can enter the crosswalk when the hand is flashing or countdown timer has started.

This is false. It’s against the law to enter the crosswalk if the hand is flashing or countdown timer has started. But if you’ve already started to cross when the hand starts flashing or countdown timer begins, don’t worry, you can still finish your crossing.

 I have to use the overhead flashing lights at a crosswalk where they’re available.

That’s true. It’s the law to press the button to use the overhead flashing lights at a crosswalk where they’re available.

 I can park my car two metres from a crosswalk.

This is false. You can’t stop or park a vehicle within five metres of a crosswalk.

 Crosswalks only exist if they’re marked.

Incorrect. Every intersection has a crosswalk. Crosswalks exist on all legs of an intersection, whether marked or unmarked. Either way, drivers must yield to pedestrians waiting to cross or when they’re already in a crosswalk.

Road Safety Steering Committee

The Road Safety Steering Committee (RSSC) was formed in early 2019. The RSSC have scheduled quarterly meetings, with meetings being added or withdrawn depending on items for discussion. The RSSC is comprised of groups that can implement and monitor the success of countermeasures that advance the municipality's vision and goal.

Below are the 2019 RSSC meeting minutes.