skidmark
December 29th, 2004, 10:55 am
New Year 2005
What will the New Year bring? If it is like those that have passed, B.C. will see in the neighbourhood of 47,000 crashes that result in 20,000 injury incidents and 400 fatal incidents. Think back on 2004 and see if you know someone whose life has been affected by a crash. Now look at your vehicle insurance bill and see another way that you have been affected by those crashes. Will 2005 bring an improvement? That is up to us all.
Bill 66 is being brought into force by the Government of B.C. It gives police the ability to impound the vehicle of a driver who has been prohibited for 24 hours because of alcohol consumption if there is a possibility that the driver will ignore the prohibition. It also increases the length of time for impoundment of vehicles whose drivers were prohibited at the time of driving. However, the penalty for the offence of driving while prohibited under the Motor Vehicle Act is reduced and drivers prohibited under the Three Strikes program may get their driving privileges back sooner.
The Integrated Road Safety Unit or IRSU is being formed on Vancouver Island. Two groups will be created, one in Victoria made up of municipal and RCMP officers, and one in Courtenay made up only of RCMP officers. The two groups will be focused on collision reduction and will not participate in activities unless they are directly related to changing driving behaviour through enforcement. The Victoria group has been organized and will be responsible for the south end of the Island ending at the Malahat. The Courtenay group will be formed after April first and will patrol the balance of the territory.
Reorganization of Vancouver Island Traffic Services and movement of staff finds the three satellite units undermanned at the start of 2005. Shift schedules have been reorganized to use the existing manpower more effectively and this will see the start of two man patrols. There are not enough patrol vehicles available to continue with the current practice of a single officer to a car during some shifts.
The Traffic Services Management Information Tool or TSMIT will become more even more important in the coming year. Traffic patterns and highway improvements have shifted some of the high collision areas during 2004 and the information that the database contains will be instrumental in making sure that enforcement efforts by both regular patrols and IRSU are as efficient as they can be in the circumstances.
Finally, it all comes down to you as the driver. The problem is not always everyone else. Occasionally it is us and sometimes that admission is difficult. Resolve to be a better driver in 2005 to reduce collisions. Save your insurance dollars, improve your safety and the safety of the others you share the highway with.
What will the New Year bring? If it is like those that have passed, B.C. will see in the neighbourhood of 47,000 crashes that result in 20,000 injury incidents and 400 fatal incidents. Think back on 2004 and see if you know someone whose life has been affected by a crash. Now look at your vehicle insurance bill and see another way that you have been affected by those crashes. Will 2005 bring an improvement? That is up to us all.
Bill 66 is being brought into force by the Government of B.C. It gives police the ability to impound the vehicle of a driver who has been prohibited for 24 hours because of alcohol consumption if there is a possibility that the driver will ignore the prohibition. It also increases the length of time for impoundment of vehicles whose drivers were prohibited at the time of driving. However, the penalty for the offence of driving while prohibited under the Motor Vehicle Act is reduced and drivers prohibited under the Three Strikes program may get their driving privileges back sooner.
The Integrated Road Safety Unit or IRSU is being formed on Vancouver Island. Two groups will be created, one in Victoria made up of municipal and RCMP officers, and one in Courtenay made up only of RCMP officers. The two groups will be focused on collision reduction and will not participate in activities unless they are directly related to changing driving behaviour through enforcement. The Victoria group has been organized and will be responsible for the south end of the Island ending at the Malahat. The Courtenay group will be formed after April first and will patrol the balance of the territory.
Reorganization of Vancouver Island Traffic Services and movement of staff finds the three satellite units undermanned at the start of 2005. Shift schedules have been reorganized to use the existing manpower more effectively and this will see the start of two man patrols. There are not enough patrol vehicles available to continue with the current practice of a single officer to a car during some shifts.
The Traffic Services Management Information Tool or TSMIT will become more even more important in the coming year. Traffic patterns and highway improvements have shifted some of the high collision areas during 2004 and the information that the database contains will be instrumental in making sure that enforcement efforts by both regular patrols and IRSU are as efficient as they can be in the circumstances.
Finally, it all comes down to you as the driver. The problem is not always everyone else. Occasionally it is us and sometimes that admission is difficult. Resolve to be a better driver in 2005 to reduce collisions. Save your insurance dollars, improve your safety and the safety of the others you share the highway with.