London, ON – The 14th annual Not By Accident Conference will be held on Thursday, October 17th at London’s Best Western Lamplighter Inn and Conference Centre. The conference, hosted by the Southwest Injury Prevention Conference Network, draws together professionals from the education, health care, law enforcement, emergency services and other sectors to discuss and promote injury prevention. The theme for this year’s conference is Destination: Injury-Free, focusing on best practices for preventing injuries across various modes of transportation including off-road vehicles, bicycles, walking and other types of active travel.
The conference will feature Keynote Speaker Dr. David Schwebel, Professor of Psychology at the University of Alabama at Brimingham. Dr. Schwebel will discuss the factors that jeopardize the safety of child pedestrians and strategies to minimize those risks. He’ll also present data showing how “virtual pedestrian environments” can be used to successfully train children to cross streets more safely.
Other Not By Accident Conference speakers include:
- Jeff Griffith, Team Leader, Road Safety Marketing Office, Ministry of Transportation (MTO)
Topic: New and Emerging Vehicles: Controversies and Misconceptions
- Wayne Atkins, Boating Safety Officer, Transport Canada
Topic: Safe Boating Practices
- Andrew Davidson, Manager of the Road Safety Marketing Office, Safety Policy and Education Branch, MTO
Topic: Walking and Cycling: Action on the Coroner’s Report
- OPP Inspector Mark Andrews
Topic: Road Safety Innovations
- Lorna Boratto and Colleen Cooper, OPHA Health and Built Environment Working Group
Topic: The Beginner Driver Education Curriculum Study
- Wayne Daub, Ontario Federation of All-Terrain Vehicle Clubs, and Jeff Griffith, MTO
Topic: If You Ride…Do it Right!
“The conference aims to provide attendees with resources and proven strategies that can help reduce injuries” says Megan Georgieff, Public Health Nurse with the Middlesex-London Health Unit’s Healthy Communities and Injury Prevention Team. “We’ve been able to share a lot of information since we first held this conference in 1999 that have led to policies and initiatives that have prevented people from getting hurt.”
Media Contact:
Dan Flaherty, Communications Manager, Middlesex-London Health Unit, 519-663-5317 ext. 2469 or 519-617-0570 (cell)
Spokesperson:
Megan Georgieff, Public Health Nurse, Middlesex-London Health Unit