Poor driving conditions and an upswing in motor vehicle incidents go hand-in-hand, but it doesn’t have to be that way, according to Const. Monika Terragni of the Comox Valley RCMP.
“Road conditions might be a contributing factor in a collision; however, it is human error that is responsible for almost every single collision on our roads,” she said. “Drivers are responsible for adjusting to any condition that presents itself – traffic, weather, wildlife, pedestrians, road conditions… the list could go on. The posted speed limit is the speed limit during optimal conditions. When conditions are less than optimal, drivers must slow down.”
First responders were kept busy this weekend responding to several MVIs, including at least one rollover on Hwy. 19.
Cumberland Fire Department attended a Saturday afternoon single-vehicle incident near the Trent River overpass.
According to Fire Chief Mike Williamson, an extrication was performed for the single occupant of the vehicle, although there were no serious injuries.
There were a couple of serious accidents last week on Veterans Memorial Parkway, and the Lerwick Road/Ryan Road intersection is notorious for MVIs, but Terragni said regardless of the location, it’s up to the drivers to make the commitment to safety.
“Any intersection has the potential to be treacherous – it is not typically the roads that make it treacherous, it is the drivers,” she said. “We all share responsibility for keeping our roads safe. Drivers need to be attentive at every intersection. Some intersections have more traffic than others – take the time to look around and pay attention as you are travelling through all of them.”
At this time of year, much of the daily commute is made before the sun has a chance to warm up the roads, or just as the temperatures drop, after sunset.
”Drivers need to be prepared to adjust to changing conditions at any time of day,” said Terragni. “Pack your patience! Leave a few minutes early, especially when winter weather is expected. It is better to be a few minutes late than not to arrive at all. Make sure your vehicle is equipped to be on the road – get those winter tires and take the time to defrost the windows, and clean off all of the snow and ice.”
ALSO: 25-year-old woman dead in single-vehicle crash on TCH near Duncan
terry.farrell@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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