WHEREAS the AAMDC is concerned with the effective traffic monitoring and highway enforcement on local roads and secondary highways in the Province of Alberta, particularly in rural areas; AND WHEREAS fatal collisions occur more frequently in rural areas than in urban areas according to Saving Lives on Alberta’s Roads: Report and Recommendations for a Traffic Collision Fatality and Injury Reduction Strategy; AND WHEREAS Alberta has seen an increase in traffic fatalities over the period of 2003-2004 of 0.5% according to Statistics Canada;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties work with the Government of Alberta to implement a Comprehensive Highway Traffic Safety Plan in support of the recommendations found in the Saving Lives on Alberta’s Roads: Report and Recommendations for a Traffic Collision Fatality and Injury Reduction Strategy.

At the request of then Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Ed Stelmach a review of Alberta’s Traffic Safety Initiative was launched in February 2004 in an effort to arrive at recommendations on the best way to coordinate strategies, set goals and allocate resources to address road safety issues. This process resulted in the report Saving Lives on Alberta’s Roads: Report and Recommendations for a Traffic Collision Fatality and Injury Reduction Strategy. The report outlines nine recommendations:. 1. Establish a provincial mechanism to provide leadership, direction, coordination and evaluation of road safety initiatives in Alberta. 2. Develop and implement a comprehensive road safety plan for Alberta with clearly defined objectives, strategies and work plans tailored to meet provincial and local needs. 3. Establish a sustainable source of ongoing funding for road safety initiatives in the province. 4. Expand research and the availability of comprehensive, timely information about road safety in the province. 5. Establish specific targets consistent with Road Safety Vision 2010 and report regularly on progress in achieving those targets. 6. Engage Aboriginal leaders and elders in the development of targeted strategies to reduce the rates of collisions, injuries and fatalities among Aboriginal people. 7. Take advantage of advances in technology provided the objectives are directly related to improving road safety. 8. Ensure that adequate resources are available to provide effective enforcement on Alberta’s roads and highways. 9. Undertake a thorough review of current driver education and driver examinations in the province. In response to the report and its recommendations, the Government of Alberta has chosen to develop a Comprehensive Traffic Safety Plan. The AAMDC has been asked by the Solicitor General to bring forward a resolution at its Fall 2005 Convention calling for the association’s involvement in order to consolidate member input throughout the plan’s development process.

In December 2007, Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation (AIT) released the Alberta Traffic Safety Action Plan. This three year plan for 2007 to 2010 identifies short-term activities to implement Alberta’s Traffic Safety Plan which was released in October 2006. To support the implementation of the action plan, AIT has established three Subject Matter Expert Groups: Research and Evaluation; Communication Activities; and Engineering Strategies. AAMDC has representation on all three working groups.