CAA SCO recognized with Sweet Life Road Safety Champion Award

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 24, 2014 /CNW/ - Car crashes continue to be one of the leading causes of death and injury to teens.

"Every 72 hours we lose a teen in a crash. Every 30 minutes, a teen goes to hospital with a crash-related injury. Many of them will never be the same again. Almost 100 per cent are preventable," said Anne Marie Hayes, President of Teens Learn to Drive and creator of Sweet Life Road Show.

As part of National Teen Driver Safety Week and in partnership with Teens Learn to Drive Inc., the students of Loyola Catholic Secondary School will present CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) with a Sweet Life Road Safety Champion Award.

"CAA is proud to receive this recognition for our ongoing efforts to help bring lifesaving road safety education to high school students across Ontario," said Teresa Di Felice, Director, Government & Community Relations and Driver Education, CAA SCO.

CAA SCO has a long and rich history of advocating for traffic safety. Over the years, we have worked tirelessly with government and other traffic safety partners to raise awareness about dangerous driving behaviours, such as distracted driving and impaired driving, actions that claim far too many lives on Ontario's roads every year.

This week, the Minister of Transportation reintroduced the Making Ontario's Roads Safer Act. CAA is pleased to see this bill return. The bill not only reinforces the importance of road users focusing their attention on the road, but it also tackles new and growing challenges that we face, including driving under the influence of drugs.

"We have worked with the Ontario government in making changes to this legislation that will help deal with many important road safety initiatives. Distracted driving, cycling safety and the inclusion of tow trucks in Slow Down, Move Over legislation have been priority items for CAA," added Di Felice.

As a leader and advocate for road safety and mobility, CAA South Central Ontario is a not-for-profit auto club which represents the interests of more than 1.9 million members. For over a century, CAA has collaborated with communities, police services and governments to help keep drivers and their families safe while travelling on our roads.

SOURCE: CAA South Central Ontario

Media contact: Silvana Aceto, Media and PR Consultant, CAA SCO, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone]; Jeff LeMoine, Communications Consultant, CAA SCO [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone]