Motor vehicle collisions are the most common road safety call Saanich Police Department receives, and speed is a factor.
The department receives a “tremendous” amount of calls from the public reporting concerns about bad driving behavior, including speeding and distracted driving, adds Saanich police spokesperson Const. Markus Anastasiades.
Anastasiades said Saanich police, specifically the Traffic Safety Unit, is committed to reduction and prevention of serious crashes.
“One way we address this is by enforcing [the laws against] three key driving behaviours that contribute to serious collisions; speeding, distracted driving, and driving while impaired,” he said.
Police target enforcement is done intersections and corridors in Saanich where crashes most frequently happen, and roadblocks are conducted by police on a regular basis.
Quoting ICBC statistics, Anastasiades said speed was a contributing factor in 27 per cent of fatal crashes in 2017. “As speed increases, so does the distance and the amount of time it takes a vehicle to stop,” Anastasiades said. “Combine that with the science that as speed increases, the amount of kinetic energy also increases, and it is clear that the faster you drive, the potential for a more serious collision exists.”
With that science, ICBC’s statistics, and the calls police receive daily relating to bad driving in Saanich, local officers remind drivers of a few tips to reduce the risk or severity of a crash.
Saanich police urge locals to obey posted speed limits and adapt to changes in weather and road conditions, ensure seatbelts are worn and child safety seats are properly installed, and make vehicle maintenance a priority, including checking tire pressures, tire wear, lights, and overall vehicle condition.
The department also warns drivers should focus completely on the task of driving and take steps to reduce and eliminate distractions while driving.
For information related to speeding and collision, visit ICBC’s online newsroom at icbc.com/about-icbc/newsroom/Pages/Statistics.aspx.
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