Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving (OSAID) raises alarm bells and calls on increased investment in peer-led efforts to reduce road related teen deaths.
Teens in Grey Bruce Huron Perth face higher risks according to government data.
According to Ministry of Transportation's collision statistics, over the 10-year period 2005-2014, teenagers aged 16-19 made up 9% of Ontario drivers who were at-fault in fatal and injury collisions. In contrast, teenagers aged 16-19 in Grey, Bruce, Huron and Perth counties represented 15% of drivers who were at-fault in fatal and injury collisions over the same 10-year period..
OSAID has been engaging teens in peer-to-peer programs for over 30 years in an effort to eliminate impaired driving among youth. Today "impaired" includes alcohol, drugs, distractions and other risky behaviour choices, which have been added at the request of youth participants in OSAID chapters across the province.
Matt Evans, OSAID's executive director, has seen a decline in OSAID groups in schools as the demand for teacher and financial resources to run the program have been scaled back. According to Evans, "Teens listen to other teens. We provide resources and engagement opportunities that make a lasting impact. If you want fewer teens to be killed and injured in motor vehicle crashes in Ontario, you need to get teachers and students involved in starting OSAID clubs in their schools - especially as concerns related to alcohol and drugs and distracted driving are growing every day." Evans warns schools, government and the private sector need to invest in programs like OSAID to get the fatality and injury rates down.
Schools and communities can start to get more involved by sending local youth ambassadors from their schools to the three-day Canadian Youth Against Impaired (distracted, alcohol and drug) Driving Summit to be held in May , in Ontario, hosted by OSAID.
OSAID is a registered Canadian charity, operating since 1987. OSAID's goal is boots on the ground, peer engagement to prevent road collisions - the number one cause of death and injury among youth.
source: media release, OSAID
