Road Safety

Agreement on Automobile Advertising

Every year, speeding and careless driving on the part of some drivers cause of thousands of accidents on Québec roads. The Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), which invests considerable effort to change attitudes and promote the adoption of safe driving behaviours, has found strong allies in Canadian automobile manufacturers.

In 2009, a memorandum of understanding was signed between representatives of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association, the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators. It presents guidelines aimed at prohibiting any advertisement that conveys a careless attitude with respect to road safety by presenting situations that encourage reckless, dangerous or prohibited practices or behaviour. They cover speeding, aggressive and unsafe behaviour, as well as depictions of races, rallies and competitions.

These guidelines are intended to help manufacturers and their advertising agencies develop creative and effective messages that comply with both the letter and the spirit of automobile safety legislation in effect in various Canadian provinces and territories. The adoption of these rules also provides further clarification and specifics when complaints are analyzed under generally accepted standards.

For more information on the automobile advertising guidelines, consult the Report on Automobile Advertising Standards, recently published by the SAAQ.