Snap Shot - A Day in the Life of a Police Traffic Safety Unit (TSU)

A typical summer day, the roads are busy with local and tourist traffic. Members of the TSU are kept busy throughout the day responding to thirteen motor vehicle crashes. In the past they would have been referred to as car accidents. The change is due mostly to a change in philosophy by police in how to deal with the problem of car crashes. The word accident denotes that the event is without apparent cause, or is unexpected (definition from the Canadian Oxford Dictionary).

It is very well known in the policing community that most car crashes are avoidable and can be directly attributed to poor or careless driving behaviour by the one or more persons involved in the collisions. On Tuesday, the day became very busy with TSU members responding to three car crashes that occurred one after the other at different locations around 1225 hours . According to the Staff Sergeant of the TSU several of the car crashes that occurred on this day involved drivers following too closely to the vehicle in front of them, or the crashes were the direct result of one or more of the drivers disobeying the rules governing driver behaviour at or near an intersection (fail to yield on turn, disobey traffic turn signal, or light).

Of note, on this day, was the behaviour of a 22 year old male driver who had just left a party (1620 hours or 4:20pm) and was involved in a two vehicle car crash near the entrance to a Mall. Presently, this is one of the busiest intersections and area of roadway in the Municipality due to construction and shopping. According to Staff Sgt. this driver endangered the safety of several other motorists. A vehicle that was nearly missed was occupied by a mother and her baby and the vehicle that the male driver crashed into was being driven by an expectant mother. The male driver was arrested and charged with Impaired Operation of a Motor Vehicle and Driving While over 80 after he provided breath samples at nearly three times the legal limit. A special thank you to the civilian witnesses that took the time and made the effort to provide very detailed statements about the car crash and the moments before.

Important Reminders for Summer Safety:

• the summer season is not an excuse to drink and drive
• take a cab home from your summer parties if you have been drinking....there are not too many places that you can not get for an affordable cab ride
• the impact to you, your family and your friends if you seriously injure or kill someone because you were drinking and driving is far reaching and long lasting
• imagine the embarrassment to you , your co-workers, and your employer if you are in a car crash after leaving an office party and you are then charged with drinking and driving offenses
• drive safely and defensively to avoid or to minimize the risk of being involved in a car crash
• give yourself those extra minutes when heading out on the road....the roads are busier this time of year

Please have a Safe Summer.

This article was written by a member of the Traffic Safety Unit of the Saanich Police Department. What is described is a snapshot of activities encountered on a daily basis by any Traffic Safety Unit on Vancouver Island.

Summer is here, the roads are congested with local traffic, commercial traffic and recreational vehicles. Tempers often rise with the heat and the increased traffic. These conditions can lead to driver inattention, dangerous driving and even road rage. We all need to be conscious of the drivers around us and drive safely and defensively. Traffic Safety Units do not bear the entire responsibility to make our roads safe, as a community, the responsibility is ours.

Let&s make this a safe summer and all do our part to make our roads and highways safer for everyone. Let&s work together because

Together We Can Make a Difference.

Joan Parsons

President
Rid Roads of Impaired Drivers

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