A lot of people probably wish that summer — and summer weather — was still here, and in October nearly 8,000 drivers in B.C. were presumably trying to defy the calendar by driving as if road conditions were ideal.
Unfortunately for them, speed limits matter even more than usual when days get shorter and weather gets wilder. In October, BC Highway Patrol (BCHP) carried out two campaigns — Drive Relative to Conditions and Pedestrian Awareness — and found that British Columbians still have a lot of work to do when it comes to making roads safer for pedestrians, vulnerable road users, and everyone else.
Throughout the month, BCHP wrote 7,888 speeding tickets:
Northern B.C. (including most communities north of 100 Mile House): 1,486 tickets
Central B.C. (including Kamloops, Merritt, Kelowna, Clearwater): 1,443 tickets
Kootenay region (including Revelstoke, Nelson, Cranbrook, Golden): 1,171 tickets
Vancouver Island: 1,598 tickets
South Coast (including Metro Vancouver, Sea to Sky country, the Fraser Valley): 2,167 tickets
Special Traffic Operations (units working outside a defined jurisdiction): 23 tickets
“As drivers we are guilty of thinking that we are exceptional,” says Cpl. Michael McLaughlin with BCHP. “We make excuses about why the rules should not apply to us.
“But once you hit another human being, or an animal, or badly injure yourself, it’s too late to be smarter or act better.”
Drivers are reminded that posted speed limits are created for ideal, dry, clear, daytime conditions. If traffic is heavy, weather is poor, or it’s dark, drivers have an obligation to slow down. With the increased hazard of fall and winter driving conditions, it’s extremely important to be sober, alert, and undistracted.
Pedestrians and other vulnerable road users are encouraged to be alert and put their phones away and wear brighter clothing with reflective piping. It doesn’t hurt to carry a flashlight, and if you’re walking a dog, make sure to keep it on a leash and use a reflective collar or other device so it can be seen.
“None of us are special drivers or invulnerable pedestrians,” says McLaughlin. “The weather has turned now and it’s dark most of the time. Slow down and avoid getting a ticket or something worse. Help us create a safer and better experience on our roads.”