MANITOBA PUBLIC INSURANCE

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1 MANITOBA PUBLIC INSURANCE AI.13 ROAD SAFETY AND LOSS PREVENTION In 2011/12, the Corporation continued its work with road safety partners to educate Manitobans and raise awareness about the risks and consequences of dangerous and illegal driving behaviours. Major road safety initiatives undertaken or expanded in 2011/12 include the following: AI.13.1 Manitoba Awareness and Enforcement Integrated Calendar In 2011 the Corporation worked collaboratively with the Manitoba Association of Chiefs of Police to develop an integrated awareness and calendar to address road safety issues. The intent was to align the Corporation s public awareness initiatives more closely with police to maximize program effectiveness. This, on the basis of research which clearly shows that public awareness and education programs are most effective when accompanied by meaningful and police is most effective in deterring unacceptable driving behaviour when highly visible and well publicized. The Manitoba Awareness and Enforcement Integrated Calendar has been updated for 2012 and a copy is attached. AI.13.2 Strategic Traffic Enforcement Programs (STEP) For the last 13 years, the Corporation has provided funding to major Manitoba police services to conduct targeted, specific, and highly visible roadside from May to November of each year under the Road Watch banner. In , the Corporation expanded its funding of strategic traffic with two new initiatives. The first targeted speed in high volume wildlife-vehicle collision zones and the second targeted of Manitoba s legislation prohibiting the use of hand-held devices while driving, both of which were administered as part of larger education and awareness campaigns undertaken by the Corporation. Page 1

2 AI Road Watch Last year the Corporation increased its funding for the Road Watch program by approximately $250,000 over the 2010 funding level. This program is intended to enhance public awareness about the risks and consequences of impaired driving and encourage motorists not to drink and drive by raising the perceived risk of apprehension through a highly visible police presence on Manitoba roadways. The program was also expanded in 2011/12 at the request of the RCMP to include monitoring of winter and ice roads in Northern Manitoba during January and February. In 2011/12, participating police agencies conducted roadside check stops on 149 dates at 351 locations, resulting in screening of 64,140 vehicles over more than 1,056 visibility hours. This represents a 25% increase in check stop locations and a 72% increase in vehicles screened in 2011 compared to As a result of these efforts, police removed 234 impaired drivers from the road and issued an additional 3,330 offence notices for various violations of The Highway Traffic Act, The Liquor Control Act and The Controlled Drug Substance Act. This represents a 29% increase in impaired drivers removed from the road and a 78% increase in other types of offence notices issued over the previous year. As a result of the ongoing success of this program, the Corporation will maintain its current level of funding support for Road Watch activities in 2012/13 the 14 th consecutive year of this partnership initiative between Manitoba Public Insurance and Manitoba s agencies. AI Wildlife Collision Reduction Study On October 5, 2011, Manitoba Public Insurance launched a joint study with the City of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Police Service aimed at reducing wildlife collisions in two targeted areas within the City of Winnipeg that together account for approximately 25% of all wildlife collision within the City limits. The study involved the use of highly visible variable message displays, increased public awareness including targeted mail drops to all residential households in the study areas, and enhanced speed during the dawn and dusk periods when wildlife are most active. The study ran for approximately two months until December Page 2

3 While the study successfully met key outcomes involving area-resident awareness, campaign persuasion and in reducing the incidence of speeding through the targeted corridors during periods when wildlife are most active, actual claims costs savings were marginal at best. Overall deer-vehicle collisions were 15% lower in October and November 2011 over the two study sites compared to the average number of collisions over the period. Total collision costs were approximately 8% lower in 2011 ($100,231) compared to the same months from ($108,299). Although the construct of the pilot itself was best practice in terms of its design and execution, total claims cost savings were 90% lower than the overall cost of the pilot study ($88,131). The Corporation intends to make a decision whether or not to run additional pilot studies this year by September 1, AI Distracted Driving In February 2012, the Corporation partnered with Manitoba police agencies to raise awareness about the risks and consequences of distracted driving. In addition to a broad public awareness campaign, the Corporation committed $120,000 in funding to supplement selective, targeted initiatives conducted by police services in Winnipeg, Brandon, Winkler and the RCMP. The Corporation s contribution equaled approximately 50% of the total investment, the remainder of which was absorbed by the participating police agencies. During the campaign, police agencies conducted 2,186 hours of dedicated activity and issued 1,667 offence notices for use of handheld electronic devices while driving. An additional 888 offence notices were issued for other driving offences. As a result of police efforts and very proactive media attention to the campaign, the program was considered highly effective in drawing attention to the issue of cell phone use and texting while driving and raising the perceived risk that Page 3

4 those who break the law by using a hand-held electronic device while driving will be stopped and offence notices issued. AI.13.3 Report Impaired Drivers (RID) 911 In February 2011, the Brandon Police Service launched the Report Impaired Drivers 911 program in partnership with MADD Canada, Manitoba Public Insurance, the City of Brandon and the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission. This program, which operates in more than 70 communities throughout Canada, encourages all citizens to play an active role in identifying and reporting suspected impaired drivers. The Corporation provided funding support for public education and advertising materials to publicize the program within Brandon. During the first year of the program, the Brandon Police Service reported a 47% increase in citizen calls to report suspected impaired drivers. Interceptions by police increased by 79% over the same period and when combined with warning letters issued to vehicle owners, resulted in police action being taken on 48.6% of all calls received. This is on-par with program expectations and demonstrates the strong commitment of the Brandon Police Service to this program. Total impaired driving charges or roadside suspensions originating from citizen calls also increased by 48.4% with the majority of these (78%) attracting Criminal Code charges. Due to the success of the Brandon pilot, the RCMP has now launched similar programs in Portage La Prairie and Thompson. Partnering again with MADD Canada and the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission, Manitoba Public Insurance will support the campaigns by funding local awareness activities to educate citizens about the program and how to identify suspected impaired drivers. AI.13.4 MADD Multi-Media Presentations In , the Corporation partnered with MADD Canada as provincial sponsor of the multi-media school assembly presentation called Shattered. These hard-hitting film presentations educate middle and high school students about the risks and consequences of impaired driving through fictional stories and real-life testimonials from victims of impaired driving. Through sponsorship funding in 2011, the Page 4

5 presentations were screened to tens of thousands of students in more than 80 schools across Manitoba. For 2012, Manitoba Public Insurance will again sponsored this important program with the screening of MADD s newest multi-media school assembly presentation called Damages in approximately 85 Manitoba schools throughout the province. AI.13.5 Friends for Life Speaker Series In February 2011, the Corporation partnered with the Manitoba School Boards Association and Teens Against Drunk Driving (TADD) to deliver a series of testimonial presentations to middle and high school students in southern Manitoba. Four professional and local speakers delivered a total of 41 presentations and shared their own compelling stories about the risks and consequences of impaired driving during the two-week speaker series. The series also served to raise awareness about the TADD programs and to encourage more schools to launch local TADD groups within their school communities. Because the speaker series was so positively received by participating schools and students, a second Friends for Life series was offered in the fall of 2011 during which time 46 additional presentations were delivered in 43 Manitoba schools reaching a combined total of approximately 16,000 Manitoba teens through both series. The program was subsequently expanded to include eight additional schools in northern communities in the spring of AI.13.6 Traditional Traffic Enforcement The Corporation continues to work with its law partners to encourage traditional of traffic laws as a means to deter dangerous and illegal driving behaviours. In 2011, there was a 3.8% increase in the total number of Highway Traffic Act convictions in Manitoba (85,741) compared to 2010 (82,616). These statistics include 45,545 convictions for speeding-related offences, 14,639 convictions for failure to comply with traffic control devices, and 3,898 convictions for use of handheld electronic devices while driving. Page 5

6 Since 2008, the Corporation has recorded a 45.8% increase in convictions received. In Winnipeg specifically, convictions from offence notices issued by the police service have increased by 93.2% over the same four year period (48,686 convictions in 2011 compared to 25,200 in 2008). A ten-year summary of Highway Traffic Act convictions resulting from offence notices issued by police agencies is provided. Total Highway Traffic Act Convictions By Year and Police Jurisdiction: 2002 to 2011 Jurisdiction Year Winnipeg RCMP Brandon Other Total ,737 25,167 2,974 11,129 80, ,780 23,782 2,959 11,273 70, ,342 17,434 2,879 10,777 58, ,835 14,388 2,027 9,565 51, ,692 20,155 2,529 10,635 61, ,992 23,878 2,895 11,034 58, ,200 24,442 2,266 9,470 61, ,170 24,608 1,891 9,304 79, ,790 24,803 2,424 10,599 82, ,686 24,483 2,199 10,373 85,741 % Change '10-'11 8.7% -1.3% -9.3% -2.1% 3.8% '06-'10 Average 32,569 23,577 2,401 10,208 68,755 AI.13.7 Driver Education In 2011, the Corporation implemented a new driver education management system to better track student progress and performance through the classroom and invehicle portions of the program. Course offerings are now better aligned to anticipated demand based on demographic data provided by the Department of Education, and registering for driver education courses has been simplified by Page 6

7 posting available courses on-line up to six months in advance and allowing students to register and pay for driver education services through any Autopac agent at the same time they are being set up as a Manitoba Public Insurance customer. The high school driver education program continues to be very positively received by participating students, their parents, and the general public as evidenced by comments received through the Road Safety consultations undertaken by the Corporation in the summer of Approximately 12,000 students continue to participate in the driver education program annually at a subsidized cost of $ The program continues to consist of 34 hours of classroom instruction, 8 hours of invehicle training and 8 hours of in-vehicle observation, and 24-hours of supervised practice driving with a parent or other qualified supervising driver to reinforce the learning from classroom instruction and in-car training delivered by contracted driving instructors. In 2011, the Corporation was pleased to partner with Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. (MKO) to include a driver education and training program as part of the Natural Resources Youth Training Program, otherwise known as Resource Rangers. The Resource Rangers training program is a five-week immersion camp offered to teens from remote First Nations communities with the objective of developing career awareness and employability training in the resource sectors most prevalent in northern Manitoba. The Corporation worked with program organizers to deliver the high school driver education curriculum in a time-condensed format as part of the in-camp experience and in doing so, provided participants with access to training they would not have had otherwise in their own remote communities. The Corporation intends to continue with this partnership in In 2011, the Corporation also partnered with three community-based social services agencies in Winnipeg (BUILD, PATH, and LEEP) to pilot driver education programs for low-income, mostly Aboriginal adults in north Winnipeg and new immigrant adults through the Salvation Army s Life Employability and Enhancement Program in south Winnipeg. The program for new immigrants was extremely well received with the majority of participants completing both the in-class and in-car training, and continuing on with supervised practice driving and eventual full licensing. The Page 7

8 program in North Winnipeg was not as successful because of challenges in retaining participants through the duration of the program. The Corporation is currently considering the feasibility of additional programs of this nature in light of the pilot program results and what emerged as clear support among most Manitobans during the road safety consultations for the Corporation to expand its driver education and training efforts to address the needs of First Nations people and new immigrants more directly. AI.13.8 Motorcycle Safety The Corporation continues to provide funding to Safety Services Manitoba to deliver road-safety related training programs throughout Manitoba. This includes 50% subsidy funding for motorcyclists who successfully complete the 21-hour Canada Safety Council motorcycle training program. In 2011, Safety Services Manitoba expanded access to this program into every community where the mandatory 8-hour training program is currently offered, making the 21-hour program a legitimate option for every new motorcycle rider over the less comprehensive program. In addition, the Corporation is continuing to work with Safety Services Manitoba to develop an advanced motorcycle rider training program to respond to the needs of experienced riders who are seeking training on advanced riding skills, or motorcyclists who are returning to the sport after a significant break from riding. The Corporation anticipates such a program being ready for piloting in the 2013 riding season. AI.13.9 Manitoba Child Car Seat Program Manitoba Public Insurance continues to partner with St. John Ambulance, Manitoba fire fighters and community-based child car seat technicians throughout the province in raising public awareness about the safety benefits of properly restraining children in child car seats and correct installation procedures. Through this program, trained inspection technicians provide important safety presentations and offer free child car seat inspection clinics within their communities. In 2011, the Corporation also partnered with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and Manitoba Healthy Living to create greater awareness of, and educate the public Page 8

9 on the stages of child car seats and the importance of booster seat use for children who have outgrown a child car seat but are still too small to be safely secured by a vehicle s seat belt assembly. Information on the I Need A Boost campaign can be viewed on the Healthy Living website at AI Rethink Road Safety Youth Video Challenge In December 2011, Manitoba Public Insurance launched a Youth Video Challenge in which youth (age 16-25) were encouraged to get behind the camera and use their imagination in creating one to three minutes videos focused on one of three major road safety issues: impaired driving, speed and aggressive driving, and distracted driving. The contest encouraged youth in Manitoba to change the way they think about road safety, and was launched in support of the Year of Road Safety in Canada. The contest was aggressively advertised through high schools, universities and technical colleges, and through the Corporation s High School Driver Education Program. A total of 39 entries were received from which first, second and third place winners were selected in each of the three categories. All entries have been posted on a dedicated YouTube channel and have attracted more than 30,000 views to-date. AI Cycling Safety In 2011, the Corporation developed a comprehensive cycling safety program to educate adult and commuter cyclists on safe riding skills and how to share the road safely with motorists. This information was developed in collaboration with the City of Winnipeg and cycling advocacy groups including Bike to the Future and the Manitoba Cycling Association, and is intended to supplement the cycling safety materials already targeting pre-school and elementary school children. In addition to detailed safety information on the Corporation s website, the Corporation has developed point-of-sale printed materials for distribution through major bicycle sales and repair shops, and is currently conducting outreach through Manitoba schools, major employers, and community groups to raise awareness about safe cycling practices and the obligations of both cyclists and motorists to share the road. As part of this outreach, the Corporation has developed presentation materials for workplace and community-based champions and for 2012, is working with Bike to Page 9

10 the Future to develop a practical, on-road training program that will be made available free of charge to volunteers who are seeking assistance in starting bicycle safety programs within their workplaces, schools or community groups. AI Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators The Corporation, as administrator of The Drivers and Vehicles Act, continues to play a very active role representing the Province of Manitoba on the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA). The CCMTA includes representation from all Canadian provinces, territories, and the federal government who, through the collective consultation process, make decisions and offer advice and recommendations on administrative and operational matters relating to licensing, registration and control of motor vehicle transportation and highway safety. Through its jurisdictional members, CCMTA also strives to harmonize transportation-related regulations and policies across Canadian jurisdictions and with the United States to promote the safe and efficient movement of traffic throughout North America. The organization also has approximately 140 Associate members representing law, road safety professionals and other stakeholders with an interest in road safety and the safe and efficient movement of goods and people on Canada s roadways. The Corporation, through its representatives on the CCMTA, has played a significant role in the important work of CCMTA including development of Canada s Road Safety Strategy 2015, and continues to rely on research of new and emerging national and international best practices in highway safety produced by the CCMTA in guiding road safety efforts within Manitoba. In May 2011 the Corporation s Registrar of Motor Vehicles assumed the position of CCMTA president and chair of its Board of Directors and in May 2012, the Corporation was pleased to host, on behalf of the government, the CCMTA s annual meeting and conference which attracted more than 250 delegates from across Canada, the United States, and Mexico and included provincial and federal governments, law and road safety researchers and practitioners. Ministers of the Government of Manitoba participated as keynote speakers. Page 10

11 AI Citizens on Patrol Since 2001 Manitoba Public Insurance has partnered with Manitoba Justice and law agencies throughout the province to support the Citizens on Patrol Program (COPP). COPP is a grass-roots, community driven crime prevention program through which volunteers work directly with local law to improve the safety of their communities. The Corporation supports this program by funding a dedicated program coordinator (MPI employee), necessary equipment, training and overall administrative support. Currently Manitoba COPP consists of 68 active groups supported by approximately 1,700 community volunteers who collectively contributed approximately 48,000 volunteer hours towards keeping their communities safe. In 2011 twelve new COPP groups were established including five in Manitoba Housing Communities and three in northern Manitoba. Also in 2011, the Corporation worked with established COPP groups and the Provincial Advisory Committee to encourage COPP groups to become more involved in community-based road safety programming and related community awareness initiatives. As a result, a number of COPP groups are now actively involved in promoting road safety in their communities including involvement in programs such as Watch, Check-it-or-ticket campaigns with law, the Pace Car program, Report Impaired Drivers 911, seat belt observational surveys with law, and school-based road safety programs including adult crossing guard programs. The Corporation intends to encourage COPP groups to explore these and other opportunities to expand the value they bring to their communities, and as a way to attract new membership to keep the program fresh in each of the communities it serves. AI Auto Theft Manitoba Public Insurance continues to make significant progress in reducing auto crime in the province. As outlined in the 2011 Annual Report, auto thefts in Winnipeg have now declined 82% since Across the province, the combined total and attempted thefts continue to be the lowest since 1992 and are 80% lower than in 2006 when this combined total peaked. In 2011 specifically, there was a combined reduction of 31.6% in total and attempted thefts compared to Page 11

12 The Corporation continues to attribute these successes to two different but complementary initiatives; the Winnipeg Auto Theft Suppression Strategy (WATSS) and the Immobilizer Incentive Program through which more than 98% of vehicles deemed most-at-risk to being stolen in Winnipeg have now been immobilized against theft. With respect to the WATSS program, the Corporation has determined that despite very positive progress in the fight against auto theft since 2004, it is both appropriate and necessary to continue funding for the WATSS program which had been set to expire on March 31, Program funding will therefore continue for an additional two years from April 1, 2012 to March 31, Annual funding to a maximum of $800,000 per year will be provided during this period. Page 12

13 AD CAMPAIGN: Too fast for road conditions MPI news release, 60-Second Driver, Manitoba Driver, WFP Tips AD CAMPAIGN: Too fast for road conditions MPI news release, 60-Second Driver, Manitoba Driver, WFP Tips 2013 Rate Application Road Safety and Loss Prevention - AI.13 Attachment 2012 Manitoba Awareness and Enforcement Integrated Calendar 50 JANUARY FEBRUARY Intersections MARCH Occupant Restraints 50 APRIL Too fast for road conditions January 5 - Winter driving too fast for conditions January 12 - Snowmobile safety January 19 - on gravel roads January 26 - Stopping distances TV commercial with MADD; May Long Weekend MAY Impaired Driving RoadWatch, Road Safety Week May 3 - Impaired driving May 10 - Impaired driving May 17 - Road Safety Week (May 15-23) May 24 - Safe grad May 31 - Alcohol related crashes AD CAMPAIGN: Too fast for road conditions MPI news release, 60-Second Driver, Manitoba Driver, WFP Tips SEPTEMBER Back to School Safety WPS AD CAMPAIGN: Impaired Driving September Long Weekend ing in school zones RoadWatch Possible MPI media event, 60-Second Driver, Manitoba Driver, Winnipeg Free Press September 6 - Back to school safety September 13 - Passing school buses September 20 - Cycling safety September 27 - Booster/car seats WPS AD CAMPAIGN: TV, radio, billboards Distracted Driving Red lights and rural intersections Dedicated February 2 - Winter Intersections February 9 - No phone zone February 16 - Highway intersections February 23 - Other distracted driving JUNE Cycling, Pedestrian Safety WPS AD CAMPAIGN: ing in school zones Commercial Vehicles Billboards Dedicated MPI news release/possible media event with MPI summer students, 60-Second Driver, Manitoba Driver, Winnipeg Free Press June 7 - Cycling safety June 14 - Commercial vehicles June 21 - Sharing the road June 28 - Impaired driving OCTOBER Occupant Restraints TV, radio, billboards Impaired Driving October Long Weekend Operation Impact, Semi-Annual Survey RoadWatch October 4 - Impaired driving October 11 - Wildlife October 18 - Seat belts October 25 - Halloween pedestrian safety Semi-annual survey MPI news release/possible media event with survivor, March 1 - Seat belts March 8 - Daylight saving time March 15 - Child car seats March 22 - Booster seats March 29 - Air bags AD CAMPAIGN: Too fast for road conditions MPI news release, 60-Second Driver, Manitoba Driver, WFP Tips July Long Weekend JULY Impaired Driving ATV Safety RoadWatch Dedicated July 5 - Commercial vehicles July 12 - ATV safety July 19 - Motorcycles July 26 - ATV Safety in selected areas NOVEMBER Wildlife in selected areas Snowmobile Safety Dedicated MPI news release, 60-Second Driver, Manitoba Driver, Winnipeg Free Press November 1 - Snowmobile riding November 8 - Wildlife November 15 - National Day of Remembrance November 22 - Auto theft November 29 - Operation Red Nose Manitoba Driver is a news service for community newspapers that provides road safety advice. Winnipeg Free Press Driving Tips are published every Thursday to deliver road safety messages (Note: the specific topics listed on this calendar may change slightly.) Aired on CTV, 60-Second Driver segments demonstrate safe driving practices. TV, radio, billboards April 5 - kills April 12 - Drive smart April 19 - Motorcycles April 26 - Dealing with a tailgater AD CAMPAIGN: Too fast for road conditions MPI news release, 60-Second Driver, Manitoba Driver, WFP Tips August Long Weekend Operation Red Nose AUGUST Impaired Driving August Long Weekend Distracted Driving DECEMBER Impaired Driving RoadWatch Dedicated August 2 - Impaired driving August 9 - Drowsy driving August 16 - Distracted driving August 23 - Distracted driving August 30 - Impaired driving AD CAMPAIGN: Too fast for road conditions MPI news release, 60-Second Driver, Manitoba Driver, WFP Tips Christmas Checkstop Program Possible MPI media event with police agencies, December 6 - Impaired driving December 13 - Winter driving December 20 - Impaired driving December 27 - Safe driving