Fifteen collisions in one week is too much

The Barrhead RCMP is stepping up its highway enforcement efforts in the wake of a spate of accidents says Sgt. Bob Dodds.

“Last year, our total number of motor vehicle collisions was 450,” Dodds said, adding he believed between 65 to 70 per cent of all collisions in 2016 were animal related.

On average, there were roughly 40 collisions per month — a number Dodds said he felt was too high.

“In the last week we’ve had 15 collisions reported to us. Sooner or later we’re going to have the kind of tragedy where one of our members needs to have a doorway conversation with someone, telling them their loved one is not coming home, and none of us wants that.”

Dodds said he regrets not keeping track of the number of dead he has pulled out of the ditch following a collision.

“It is not something I really want to keep track of, but I should have early in my service, because it is a significant number. It’s not one or two. It’s ten times that and the memories stay with you. It’s hard to live with afterwards if you are responsible, you know? I have daughters that are drivers now and every time they leave the driveway I hope they make it to where they are going. As family members, friends and as professionals too, we want to work as hard as we can to ensure your travel is successful.”

Driver safety is an important conversation to have with your children, Dodds said, especially with the huge increase in distracted driving.

“Stay off your phones and slow down if you’re speeding. Our daily activities are routine, mundane things that are not worth dying over. Everybody is busy these days but we’ve got to start using our heads.”

Impaired or distracted driving is like playing Russian roulette.

“Whether you’re playing with your radio or talking to a passenger, you’ve had a couple drinks or you’re fiddling with your phone, any of those actions is taking away from your focus on the road and it makes you a danger, not only to yourself but to everyone else on the road as well.”

In addition, Dodds said reporting suspicious driving behaviours or vehicles is equally important.

“Don’t wait to report the incident, but make sure it is safe to do so,” he said, adding that giving as much relevant information as possible — licence plate numbers, descriptions of the driver and vehicle and the location — is helpful to the investigation.

“Impaired drivers kill more people than murderers do in this country. Distracted drivers kill more people than murderers in this country. We worry about ISIS and terrorism and yet we accept these types of drivers as part of our day. It doesn’t make any sense to me.”