Police crack down on high-risk drivers
Distracted driving the most common problem, especially from people texting, officer says
Be very careful how you drive — police across the province have launched their annual enforcement on high-risk driving.
Vancouver police Staff Sgt. Jack Sarna, with the traffic-services division, had a simple message on Wednesday: “Our role is to reduce the crashes, reduce the injuries, reduce the deaths. Your challenge is to modify your own behaviour.”
Sarna said the most common problem he’s noticed in his four years in traffic services is distracted driving — things like people texting while they’re driving.
He said that part of the increased enforcement will include undercover officers posing as panhandlers or just standing with signs at the side of the road.
If they see someone obviously texting or otherwise breaking the rules, the undercover officer can contact uniformed officers several blocks ahead who can nab the rule breaker.
The rules are broken most dangerously in intersections, where 60 per cent of crashes happen in B.C. — at a rate of 241 per day, according to ICBC.
Crashes don’t just cost money, they injure more than 51,000 people every year. High-risk behaviours, like speeding, failing to yield, following too closely and distracted driving, also result in the death of 180 people a year on average.
Victoria police chief Jamie Graham was also on hand on Wednesday to help launch the latest campaign. He stressed a common-sense approach.
“If you drive, you have to be responsible,” said Graham. “Please pay attention when you’re driving.”