Vaughan launches new campaign to help keep all road users safe

Municipalinfonet.com
Nov. 19, 2021

Road safety and the well-being of citizens remain a top priority for the City of Vaughan -- and that includes continuing to respond to key traffic concerns. To encourage drivers to reduce their speed, the City has launched a new campaign: #SlowDownVaughan.

Vaughan residents can post a #SlowDownVaughan sign on their lawn, in their windows or on their social media profiles to encourage the public to slow down while driving on City roads. Lawn signs are available to pick up at Vaughan Public Libraries and community centres, excluding Garnet A. Williams Community Centre. Citizens can also download print-at-home window signs or social media graphics at vaughan.ca/SlowDownVaughan. Signs are produced by the City and are free to Vaughan residents.

Citizens are also encouraged to show support for safe driving by sharing pictures of their signs and using the hashtag #SlowDownVaughan on social media.

Visit vaughan.ca/SlowDownVaughan for more information on this initiative, including details on how to participate.

The #SlowDownVaughan campaign comes in response to Ward 1 City Councillor Marilyn Iafrate’s Member’s Resolution to create a new city-wide lawn-sign campaign. The campaign was officially endorsed by Council in the Committee of the Whole (2) meeting on Oct. 13, 2021 and approved by Council at the Oct. 20, 2021 Council meeting.

This program is just one of a number underway related to road safety. The City has developed a MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy, which sets the direction and priorities for the next five years while ensuring an efficient, reliable, safe and sustainable transportation system. The MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy was guided by input received from the public, which identified road safety and effective traffic management as top priorities to help meet the existing and evolving needs of the community. The strategy consists of four programs, one of them being the Road Safety Program, created to increase road safety and raise public awareness.

As part of the MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy, the City has developed a Speed Limit Policy to further ensure the safety of our most vulnerable road users and the appropriate criteria continues to be used in the establishment of speed limits throughout the City’s road network.

For more information about the policy, including the newly implemented speed reductions in school zone areas, visit vaughan.ca/SpeedPolicy. As well, speed limits on all public laneways are decreasing to 30 kilometres per hour -- the previous limit was 50 kilometres per hour, this year.