Are motorists finally getting the message?

We have completed the first holiday weekend of the summer season for 2009, and while the news being reported by police regarding traffic safety is maybe not great, it is encouraging.

According to the reports we have seen, as of first thing Tuesday morning, only three people died on Ontario roads over the Victoria Day weekend; three too many, but a big improvement over the same period last year.

True, there are a number of factors that could have contributed to those reduced figures. Police reported there was less traffic than might have been expected. Perhaps the economy had something to do with that, encouraging people to find things to do closer to home. As well, the weather might have been a little less than appealing for long-distance travel.

And it is true that police have been making a greater effort to publicize the need for more safety on the roads. As well, we have increased and serious penalties for excessive speeding (also known as stunt driving), and this month opened with with stiffer sanctions being applied in cases where drinking and driving is involved.

Perhaps it is possible that drivers have come to realize that the thrill of seeing just how fast a car can go is maybe not worth the bother of losing one's licence and vehicle for seven days, not to mention the fines, insurance rate adjustments, etc.

And it's also possible the low numbers from this weekend were just a fluke, although we would like to think the reality is a little more positive.

We base that on reports that traffic fatalities have been down in Ontario so far this year.

About a month ago, Ontario Provincial Police released a statement indicating there had been a 5.5 per cent decrease in the number of fatal accidents on OPP patrolled roads in the first quarter of 2009.

"We are making progress, and it seems the message is getting through to motorists," OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino stated at the time. "But we still have a long way to go. Unfortunately, the main causes of the serious collisions and fatalities are still speed, alcohol and people not wearing seatbelts. The good news is that alcohol-related fatalities are down from 10 in the first three months of 2008 to just one so far this year. Speed-related fatalities in the same period are down from 24 a year ago to 17 this year."

It's impossible not to find these figures and statistics encouraging. But we also have to come to grips with the reality that not everyone out there is getting the message. Excessive speed is still an issue on the roads, as is people who drive after having had too much to drink.