Youth bring together road safety experts on Sept. 25

Toronto students host a community leader meeting on pedestrian safety

(TORONTO, Sept. 24, 2013) – Two Northern Secondary School students will bring in road safety experts for a Sept. 25 community leader meeting on pedestrian safety. Prompted by the realities of their school’s busy urban location and recent pedestrian deaths, Melissa Tigert and Colin Goad, two youth ambassadors for Parachute’s Project Gearshift, are bringing people together to inspire change and increase pedestrian safety.

Melissa and Colin are part of a national movement to create change around teen driver safety. Project Gearshift, a program of national injury prevention organization, Parachute, is working with students across the country to raise the profile of youth and road safety, with an ultimate goal of establishing a National Teen Driver Safety Week in October.

Working towards that week, the Northern students will host their community leader meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 25. Bringing together road safety experts from the Ministry of Transportation, Toronto Transit Commission, residents’ associations, pedestrian advocacy chapters and leading experts on injury prevention, the meeting will examine the challenges and potential solutions for this important and timely issue.

Media may attend the community meeting that begins at 6.30 p.m., Sept. 25, in the Heritage Room, Northern Secondary School, 851 Mt Pleasant Road.

About Project Gearshift

Project Gearshift is a project of Parachute, a national injury prevention organization. Project Gearshift aims to increase knowledge around teen driver issues while inspiring action and change. This fall, youth, teachers and community members are leading activities to create shifts in thinking and behaviour. Parachute will host Canada’s first-ever National Teen Driver Safety Week, Oct. 20-26, to raise awareness around the issue and increase national support. For more information, visit www.projectgearshift.ca.

About Parachute

Parachute is a national, charitable organization dedicated to preventing injuries and saving lives. Parachute officially came into being in July 2012 and unites the former organizations of Safe Communities Canada, Safe Kids Canada, SMARTRISK and ThinkFirst Canada into one leader in injury prevention. Parachute’s injury prevention solutions, knowledge mobilization, public policy and social awareness efforts are designed to help Canadians reduce their risks of injury while achieving Parachute’s vision of an injury free Canada where Canadians enjoy long lives lived to the fullest. For more information, visit www.parachutecanada.org.

Contact

Alex Kelly, Parachute, at akelly@parachutecanada.org to arrange for interviews with students.

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