I've been reading Moving to Vision Zero: Road Safety Strategy Update and Showcase of Innovation in British Columbia and was struck by these words: "The Safe System Approach enables more ambitious progress by treating the road system as a product of numerous components." One of these components includes driving skills.
I am generally not a person who likes the rain, but as I sit with my coffee in hand looking out the window this morning I'm happy to see it. No doubt, so is the vegetation that depends on it. Not so for drivers though, social media has been full of well meant advice to slow down due to the potential of slippery roads.
The crew from the School Bus Garage in Keremeos tell about a person driving a motor home backing up to exit a driveway near a school bus that was dropping off children. The person didn’t appear to be paying attention and almost backed over one of the children. The crew thought that a big yellow school bus displaying flashing lights should have been a clue for the driver to exercise more care.
One of the loneliest books in the world might just be your vehicle's owners manual. Consigned to the glove box, many never see the light of day until they find a new home in the recycle bin. That's a shame because the manufacturer of your vehicle has put a lot of thought and important safety information on those pages.
Give them an inch and they'll take a mile. Since B.C. has allowed new motorized forms of transportation to use the roads people have pushed the limit even further, perhaps by thinking that if it is battery powered, it must be OK. Electric dirt bikes are one recent example of this.
We are an affluent society. Teens today own vehicles in numbers only dreamed about when I was that age. Often their disposable income doesn't end there and many dollars are spent on vehicle modifications and improvements. Do you know if your teen's vehicle is safe?
Today was the first day back at school for elementary students where I live. The school is on an arterial road with a posted speed of 60 km/h that is often ignored by many drivers. I stood with speed watch volunteers for an hour from 10:00 to 11:00 am and was pleasantly surprised by what I saw.
A recent letter to Castanet in Kelowna titled Keep Riders off Sidewalks highlights a number of safety issues that new modes of active transportation have created. These issues are not restricted to the City of Kelowna and can be found throughout British Columbia.
What construction zone? I didn't see any construction speed signs back there! This irate motorist was very definite expressing what she thought about the traffic ticket I was issuing her for speeding in a construction zone. I suggested that once we were done I would be happy to help her make a U-turn so that she could go back and check on the signs.
Road safety is always changing, and in British Columbia, the next decade will bring some major shifts in how we drive, how roads are designed, and how traffic laws are enforced. Whether you’re a daily commuter, a professional driver, or someone who just enjoys a weekend road trip, the future of BC’s roads will affect you.