Road Safety

Road safety is everyone's responsibility — whether you're walking, rolling, cycling, or driving.

The Strategic Road Safety Framework, adopted by Regional Council in July 2018, is Halifax Regional Municipality’s initial road safety framework (2018-2023) that aims to reduce fatalities and injuries on roadways within the region. The Framework incorporates a Towards Zero approach with the aim to reduce transportation fatalities and injuries to zero by the year 2038. The Framework also sets a short-term goal of a 20% reduction of fatal and injury collisions by the end of 2023.

The Framework prioritizes seven emphasis areas to focus resources to have the greatest impact in reducing fatalities and injuries. These emphasis areas will be addressed through engineering, enforcement, and education. Collision data is used to identify site specific locations for engineering countermeasures and to identify topics and target audiences for education and enforcement campaigns.

What we are Doing

HRM is implementing a number of road safety initiatives throughout the municipality to achieve our vision and goal. Engineering improvements are initiated through day-to-day traffic management operations, routine capital construction projects, as well as following in-service safety reviews.

The Road Safety Dashboard provides an overview of road safety countermeasures installed throughout the Municipality, as well as a comprehensive overview of annual collision data from 2018 to present day. Collision details are also available on the Open Data Catalogue.

Learn more about our ongoing safety initiatives:

Safe Practices on the Road

Follow traffic regulations.
Be mindful of other road users.
Drivers must obey the speed limit.
Vehicle occupants should always wear a seat belt.
Avoid distractions. Whether you're walking, rolling, cycling, or driving, distractions put all road users at risk.
Driving requires your full attention. Always be extra alert when approaching a crosswalk.
Drivers must yield to pedestrians at intersections. Crosswalks exist on all legs of an intersection, whether marked or unmarked.
Never drive impaired. Always plan ahead. Have a designated driver, take public transportation or stay over. If you see an impaired driver, call 911.
Remain watchful of changing road and weather conditions.
You must stop whenever you approach a stopped school bus with its upper alternating red lights flashing, regardless of whether you are behind the bus or approaching it from the front. Be prepared to stop for a school bus at any time, not just within school hours.
Reduce your speed when entering a school zone. Follow the school zone speed limit anytime children are present, not just during school hours.
Slow down in construction zones and follow signs from the crew. Keep road crews safe by paying attention to sign flaggers and by keeping your distance from workers and equipment. Always be prepared to stop suddenly when driving through construction zones.
When cycling, consider wearing bright colors and using bike lights to be more easily visible to other commuters. Motorists should always do a triple check for cyclists when turning, especially when turning right.
Keep an eye out for transit drivers signaling to merge back into traffic. Vehicles are required to yield to transit vehicles signaling to merge into traffic from a stopped, standing or parked position as long as it does not constitute an immediate hazard.

Reports and Meeting Minutes

Reports

Road Safety Steering Committee Meeting Minutes