The number of road victims is decreasing in Québec, despite the increase in the
number of vehicles in operation and in the number of driver’s licence holders. However,
in 2015, there were still 361 fatalities, 1580 serious injuries and 35 400 minor injuries.
Further efforts are thus necessary to improve the road safety record.
In that context, the integration of transportation planning and urban planning is a very
promising course of action. The decisions regarding land use largely define travel
needs, travel modes and, more particularly, traffic and safety conditions. Because these
decisions are taken before the urban development of a territory and because they have
a long-term effect, they may be an efficient way to prevent road safety issues
The definition of general policies on land use, the delimitation of urbanization
perimeters, and the localization of growth areas determine the volume of traffic on the
road network and, consequently, the risks of collisions. Land occupation density also
influences the frequency of accesses and intersections with the adjacent road which, as
many studies have shown, has an impact on road safety.
Some regional county municipalities (RCMs) have taken road safety in consideration
when preparing their land use plan. Two examples will help highlight the most efficient
land use planning measures to prevent road safety issues: Charlevoix-Est RCM and
l’Assomption RCM.
