B.C. highways, main thoroughfares and secondary roads have obviously taken a beating from the severe flooding of the past month and are still in an extreme state of disrepair.
What’s also in need of serious repair are the driving habits of British Columbians.
With potholes bound to continue cropping up throughout the winter, many B.C. drivers still seem to think they’ll be sailing along on silky smooth roadways. We all know that’s a fallacy and the result of not changing behaviour means accidents are happening far too frequently because few are taking the conditions into account.
The recent closure of the Coquihalla Highway for an extended period has put added pressure on Highway 3, the main route out of Hope and into the Interior, as well as Highway 1 heading out of Hope north. Both of those highways have also undergone periodic closures with the weather continuing to be a factor.
It’s gone from the sublime to the ridiculous with Highway 3 being deemed for essential travel only to ensure goods are still moved around the province. But, of course, many decided that meant a free pass to get back on the road again and numerous speeding tickets were issued to drivers on the route for anything but essential purposes.
What is wrong with people? Everyone needs to look in the mirror and think about their own driving habits and why it’s so important to travel down highways at 110 kilometres plus when the speed limit is clearly 90 or even 80.
It just puts everyone else at risk unnecessarily. In the valley section of Highway 5, there have been quite a few collisions as the winter season ramps up, whether due to speed or iced and snowy road conditions. During these winter months, be aware of and respect road conditions, especially considering the number of flaggers on the highway throughout the pipeline construction.
The bottom line is we can all do something to make our roadways safer, rather than take risks that could lead to tragic circumstances. The number of trucks on the road is at an all-time high and no matter what people might think, racing to beat them in the fast lane isn’t going to clear the path because there’s always another one ahead.
Common sense, it seems, is not our best human trait.
newsroom@clearwatertimes.com
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