Traffic Safety Program

At priority locations on Regional roads, new measures are in place to improve safety. A suite of measures is helping to slow motorists down, prevent collisions and protect the most vulnerable road users. Data is gathered to measure effectiveness and support future road safety plans. 

The table below highlights recent traffic safety initiatives and shares study results.

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Measure	Results	Locations
"Slow School Zone" pavement markings	Travel speed decreased 13% to 22% Speed limit compliance improved 15% to 48%	Our Lady of the Lake Catholic College School Prince of Peace Catholic Elementary School Jersey Public School Father John Kelly Catholic Elementary School Ballantrae Public School
SpeedWATCH boards	Travel speed decreased 13% to 20% Speed limit compliance improved 31% to 51%	25 boards rotate around the Region every three to four months
Pedestrian crossovers	Studies pending	Yonge Street at Holland Landing Community Centre Islington Avenue and Rutherford Road Major Mackenzie Drive and Bathurst Street Highway 27 and Highway 7 Baseline Road, near Dalton Road Ninth Line and Elm Road
Lane realignment	Collisions decreased by 32%	Highway 27 between King Road and Mactaggart Drive
All way stops	Angle collisions decreased by 60% to 100% Turning collisions decreased by 50% to 100%	Ravenshoe Road and Victoria Street Major Mackenzie Drive and Reesor Road Dalton Road and Baseline Road Bathurst Street and Holland Landing Road Kennedy Road and Herald Road
Traffic Signals	Collisions decreased by 17% to 100%	Vivian Road and Kennedy Road ​​​​​Planned for 2023:  Aurora Road and Ninth Line Wellington Street and Kaleia Avenue/Elyse Court York Durham Line and 16th Avenue Dufferin Street and Maurier Boulevard
Roundabouts	Collisions decreased by 80% Injury/fatal collisions decreased by 88%	Lloydtown-Aurora Road and Keele Street Ninth Line and Bayberry Street Roundabouts in other jurisdictions include:  Highway 48 and Bloomington Road  Lake Ridge Road and Pefferlaw Road
Red light cameras	Angle collisions decreased by 33%	40 camera locations across the Region
Automated speed enforcement	Operation speeds reduced by approximately 10 km/h Speed limit compliance increased by approximately 25 per cent	One mobile camera rotates around 12 community safety zones covering 19 schools
School zone speed limit reductions	Studies pending	More than 60 locations
Pedestrian and cyclist pilot measures	Collisions reduced by 60% Angle collision reduced by 75%	Bathurst Street and Carrville/Rutherford Road Major Mackenzie Drive and Bayview Avenue Yonge Street and Clark Avenue Bathurst Street and Clark Avenue

More information about traffic is available on the traffic page: york.ca/traffic.

The Annual Traffic Safety Report is produced by the Transportation Services Department. The purpose of this report is to provide an understanding of road safety trends on York Region roads.In addition, this report supports the planning and execution of coordinated law enforcement, road safety improvements, and public education campaigns for travellers in York Region.

York Region Traveller Safety Plan 2023-2027

2021 Traveller Safety Report

Annual Collision Fact Sheet

2020 Traveller Safety Report (previously named Traffic Safety Report)

2019 Annual Traffic Safety Report

2017 Annual Traffic Safety Report

2016 Annual Traffic Safety Report

2015 Annual Traffic Safety Report

Many construction workers are injured or killed each year when working on roads. When driving through construction zones motorists must:

• Slow down early when approaching construction zones
• Be patient and obey signs and signal persons
• Merge well in advance when lanes are being funnelled down
• Avoid lane changes, give yourself extra following space and be ready to stop
• Do not speed up quickly when leaving construction zones
• Do not pass construction vehicles when their amber lights are flashing
• Plan ahead and expect delays

• It is very important to obey ALL work zone signs, workers and pavement markings
• Watch where you are going.  Your primary responsibility is to walk through the work zone as safely as you can
• Orange Work Zone Signs – these signs communicate to drivers and pedestrians what is going on and how to travel safely through the work zone.  They can also indicate that a sidewalk is closed and that a detour must be taken
• Pavement Markings –painted or taped lines on the pavement separate car travel lanes and can also indicate pedestrian walking paths
• During construction, some sidewalks may be closed. Pedestrians may be required to move to the other side of the road or to a temporary pedestrian walkway
• Use designated pedestrian crosswalks and traffic lights to cross the street before reaching a construction zone and DO NOT cross in the middle of the road
• Please DO NOT walk on the roadway beside the barriers
• Please be alert and aware of your surroundings when travelling near construction areas

E-Bikes

Electric bikes (e-bikes) are becoming a popular way to get around York Region.

Know the rules of the road so you can ride safely:

• Wear a helmet
• Only ride where permitted
• Be visible
• Be courteous

 

Know the rules of the road
To operate an e-bike, you MUST be 16 years or older.

E-bike operators MUST follow the rules of the road under the Highway Traffic Act. The same rules as regular cyclists apply. There are fines for violations.

It is illegal to modify the electric motor of an e-bike to make it more powerful or increase its speed.

Wear a helmet
All e-bike riders MUST wear a CSA-approved bicycle or motorcycle helmet.

Only ride where permitted
Before planning your trip by e-bike, check with your local town, city or region for relevant bylaws as to where you can ride.

Be courteous
Always yield to pedestrians – slow on approach, ring bell or horn, pass on the left.
Use a bell to alert others that you are approaching.

Be visible
Wear reflective clothing. There are requirements for lights, a bell / horn, reflectors and reflective materials.
If you require a bike light or bell contact @email (while quantities last).

Resources
Bicycle safety: yrp.ca/bikesafety
Cycling maps and resources: york.ca/cycling
E-bike requirements and information: ontario.ca/transportation

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E-Scooters

Electric kick-style scooters (e-scooters) are becoming a popular way to get around York Region.

Know the rules of the road so you can ride safely:

• Wear a helmet
• Only ride where permitted
• Be visible
• Be courteous

 

Know the rules of the road
To operate an e-scooter, you MUST be 16 years or older.

Passengers, cargo and baskets are NOT permitted.

E-scooter operators MUST follow the rules of the road under the Highway Traffic Act. The same rules as regular cyclists apply. There are fines for violations.

It is illegal to modify the motor of an e-scooter to make it more powerful or increase its speed.

Wear a helmet
All e-scooter riders under 18 years of age MUST wear a CSA-approved bicycle helmet. Helmets are recommended for all ages.

Only ride where permitted
Before planning your trip, check with your local town, city or region for relevant bylaws as to where you can ride.

Be visible
Wear reflective clothing and use reflective equipment. A front and back light, reflective tape, and a bell / horn are required.

Be courteous
Always yield to pedestrians – slow on approach, ring the bell or horn to alert that you are approaching, pass on the left. If you require a bike light or bell contact @email (while quantities last).

Resources
Bicycle safety: yrp.ca/bikesafety
Cycling maps and resources: york.ca/cycling
E-scooter pilot and requirements: ontario.ca/escooters

Motorists play a very important role in keeping the streets safe. There are some simple things that motorists can do to make sure that they can see pedestrians when it is dark out and avoid collisions:

• Approach intersections with caution
• Make full stops at stop signs
• Keep windshields clean, both inside and out
• Adjust driving to the conditions of the road
• Keep windshield wipers in good repair
• Obey speed limits in school areas, school zones and community safety zones

Learn more about sharing the road with other road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, on the Ministry of Transportation's website.

The clothing that pedestrians wear can play an important part in keeping them safe while walking, running or cycling. Pedestrians can make sure that motorists can see them at night by:

• Wearing reflective clothing
• Attaching a small flashing light to their clothing
• Only crossing the street at intersections and crosswalks
• Wearing light or bright colours instead of dark clothing
• Obeying all pedestrian signals