Every day, countless stories surface about cars crashing into buildings, daycare centers, and other places where people gather, leading to tragic accidents. Just today, there was a heart-wrenching incident where a grandfather in his 70s, while picking up his grandkids from daycare, mistakenly drove his SUV through the building, resulting in the death of a child and injuring nine others, including kids and staff. This is not the first time a tragedy like this has occurred, and it is terrifying to think it could happen again, especially since I have a child too.

In the United States, about 20% of all traffic fatalities involve drivers aged 65 or older. Every year 5,502 drivers aged 70+ die in crashes. Meanwhile, although exact numbers are hard to come by, some reports suggest that 30-40% of vehicle-into-building crashes involve drivers over age 60. In Ontario, from 2018-2022, there were on average 41 vehicle-into-building collisions per year affecting homes, businesses, or other buildings. These data paint a worrying picture: vulnerable populations, especially seniors, are heavily involved, yet policies to protect against these kinds of accidents remain underdeveloped.

One of the immediate measures that could prevent such accidents is increasing the height of curbs. Many vehicles today, especially SUVs, can easily drive over curbs due to their low height, rendering them ineffective. By making curbs higher, we can better control vehicle movements and prevent them from accidentally crossing into pedestrian areas or buildings.

Additionally, with the rise of electric cars, we need to address their rapid acceleration capabilities. Sports cars are expected to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in a few seconds, but that is not why seniors or families purchase electric SUVs. Many older drivers buy these vehicles for practicality, not for racing performance, and yet they are forced to handle powerful acceleration that can be overwhelming in everyday driving. For non-sports models, acceleration should be programmed to be gradual, more in line with traditional gasoline cars, so that everyday drivers can stay safe.

Furthermore, there should be a mandatory requirement for individuals reaching retirement age to retake their driving tests regularly. This is not just about protecting pedestrians or other drivers, it is also about protecting seniors themselves. Ensuring that senior citizens are periodically retested would enhance safety for everyone and give families peace of mind that their loved ones are safe on the road.

Another deeply concerning issue is that safety assessments for daycare centers and similar establishments are often handled privately, and when improvements are needed, the financial burden falls on the centers themselves. This is both unfair and ironic. Facilities dedicated to protecting our children should not be left alone to shoulder the costs of structural reinforcements that serve the public good. Stronger building codes and financial support for impact-resistant structures are essential to prevent tragedies.

On top of this, bollards or reinforced barriers should be installed in front of vulnerable buildings like daycares, schools, and clinics to provide a physical safeguard against vehicle intrusion. Vehicle safety technology such as automatic emergency braking should be mandatory across all new models to reduce the risk of unintended acceleration.

It is time for change. These accidents are not just driver mistakes. They are preventable tragedies that can be mitigated through stronger regulations, smarter vehicle design, and safer infrastructure. Our children deserve spaces where parents can feel truly safe leaving them. Seniors deserve vehicles and testing systems that protect them as much as everyone else.

We can no longer stand by and watch as lives are lost in preventable accidents. Let us push for these crucial changes to protect our families, our children, and our communities. Your signature can be the first step toward lasting change. Together, we can make safety the standard, not the exception.