WHEREAS the Provincial Government has set forth legislation to control the operation of motor vehicles; and WHEREAS the municipality recognizes the need for further legislation to ensure additional safety/notification measures are in place when encountering a slow moving semi-truck on highways and to enhance motorist safety;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties urge the Government of Alberta to lobby to have the Traffic Safety Act amended to incorporate a mandatory process for commercial vehicles that will provide advance notice to other motorists of heavy truck traffic travelling at speeds 20 km/hr less than the posted speed limit.

Large trucks must often slow to lower than average highway speeds in order to climb hills. In addition, there has been a marked increase in accidents in the past several years wherein motorists have collided with the back of these slow moving vehicles causing fatalities. In order to ensure that both commercial and private vehicle operators travel Alberta highways safely it is important to ensure all operators have the tools they require; Woodlands County believes that an amendment to the current Traffic Safety Act to ensure an early warning procedure is in place to alert motorists of commercial vehicles travelling at greatly reduced highway speeds has become essential.

Resolution 18-05F: 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.