Spring time change means ‘sleepy’ Canadians need to be extra alert on roadways

Driver fatigue is a factor in roughly 20% of all fatal crashes

TORONTO, March 7, 2017 – As Canadians spring ahead to Daylight Saving Time on March 12, we gain an extra hour of sunlight but lose an hour of sleep – enough to affect the body’s internal clock and driving skills. With that in mind, Parachute and FedEx Express Canada are reminding drivers and pedestrians to be extra careful on our roadways.

Driver fatigue is a factor in roughly 20% of all fatal crashes in Canada ¹. Every year, 30 children are killed and more than 2,400 are injured in pedestrian incidents. Many collisions occur between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. when drivers are coming home from work and children are walking home from school or after-school activities.

“As a global express transportation company, FedEx Express puts safety above all, both in the workplace and on the road,” says Pina Starnino, Vice President of Operations at FedEx Express Canada. “For us, safety is more than just an essential work practice – it is a commitment to our neighbours in the communities we serve.”

Every day in Canada, seven children are struck while walking, and pedestrian injuries remain a leading cause of injury-related deaths for Canadian children aged 14 and under. Parachute and FedEx Express Canada work together to help save kids’ lives by delivering Walk This Way, a national pedestrian safety awareness campaign aimed at educating parents and drivers about road safety while encouraging children to walk safely in their neighbourhoods.

Now in its 16 ^th year,Walk This Way also includes the Pace Car Program, which is focused on traffic calming measures in school zones for like-minded parents, caregivers, teachers and community members who are looking for pedestrian safety strategies.

“Pedestrian safety is a shared responsibility among all road users,” says Pamela Fuselli, Parachute Interim CEO. “With the generous help of FedEx Express Canada, together we can spread awareness to reduce harm to our children. No child should be killed or injured on our roads. These injuries are predictable and preventable.”

Parachute and FedEx want all Canadians to take these fivesteps towards better pedestrian safety:

¹ http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehiclesafety/tp-tp15145-1201.htm#s37

1. Phones down, heads up when walking.

   Child pedestrians are up to 30% more likely to be struck or nearly struck by a vehicle when distracted by a cell phone.

2. Tempted to cross mid-block? Instead, take the extra time to cross at the corner.

• Up to 25% of pedestrian collisions occur at mid-block locations.

3. Be especially alert when it’s dark out, and make sure drivers can see you.

• 55% of pedestrian deaths occur at night and/or with low-light conditions ².

4. It’s always best to walk on sidewalks or paths. No sidewalk? Walk facing traffic as far away from vehicles as possible.

• Sidewalks can reduce pedestrian collisions by 88%.

5. Adults or older children should walk with young children and teach them how to cross the road safely. The ability to assess vehicle speed and to judge safe gaps in traffic develops over time and with experience.

• A pedestrian struck by a car travelling 50 km/h has less than a 20% chance of survival.

All remaining stats can be found in the following report:

² http://ccmta.ca/images/publications/pdf//CCMTA_Pedestrian_Report_Eng_FINAL.pdf

For more information and an infographic, visit us here:

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $58 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 400,000 team members to remain “absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. To learn more about how FedEx connects people and possibilities around the world, please visit about.fedex.com.

About Parachute

Parachute is Canada’s only national charity dedicated to stopping preventable injuries, which cost the economy $27B each year. Preventable injuries are the #1 killer of children. One child dies every nine hours*. We have a proven cure: education, knowledge and empowerment. Support Parachute’s life-saving programs and initiatives and help create an injury-free Canada. For information, visit parachutecanada.org, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.