Regina, Saskatchewan — June 5, 2016 — Saskatchewan General Insurance (SGI) has announced that new drivers are the province-wide focus of June’s traffic safety spotlight.
Police will be watching for new drivers not following restrictions outlined in the province’s Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) and Motorcycle Graduated Driver’s Licensing (MGDL) programs.
While new drivers include inexperienced drivers of any age, they are most commonly young drivers. Compared to all other age groups, young drivers account for a disproportionate amount of collisions, injuries and fatalities on Saskatchewan roads.
Between 2010 and 2014, drivers 19 years of age and younger represented 7.1 per cent of Saskatchewan’s driving population, yet accounted for 11.1 per cent of all collisions. Young drivers also represented 12.1 percent of drivers killed and 13.3 per cent of drivers seriously injured in a motor vehicle collision.
“Practice is key as a new driver as it helps reinforce safe driving skills and habits,” said Earl Cameron, Vice President of the Auto Fund. “The requirements and restrictions under the GDL and MGDL program are in place for a reason: to ensure new drivers and riders develop the appropriate level of driving skill and road experience before they progress into higher risk driving situations.”
For more information, please visit sgi.sk.ca.
