Drivers, slow down and save some money

There is no such thing as a “car accident.” They are collisions. An accident by definition is something unexpected and without apparent cause, but all vehicle collisions have a cause, thus they can be expected.

It could be a driver not obeying the rules of the road or not driving for conditions, but the main causes are distractions and impatience. Impatience in my opinion is by far the No. 1 cause of collisions. The impatient driver takes more risks.

European studies in the 1990s had shown that with one more second to respond, a driver had an 80 per cent better chance of avoiding a collision. The higher the speed, the less time for the driver to react.

Also recent studies by traffic safety organizations have shown that the new so-called driver-assist features are just creating more distraction.

With about 2,000 traffic fatalities a year in Canada causing grief, and 10,000 serious injuries, the medical costs are in the hundreds of millions, most of it avoidable.

When debating speed limits we have to remember that our culture of selfentitlement often interferes with making the best decisions. Yes, we need to slow down, and drivers need to plan their time behind the wheel better to avoid impatience and risky behaviour.

By creating a traffic safety force, which would more than pay for itself through ticketing, civic governments can avoid a strain on police forces and other budgets.

Also, driver education needs to be taken far more seriously. The whiners will continue to whine about lower speed limits, red-light cameras, radar, etc., and should not be allowed to dominate discourse as much as they do now.

Slower is healthier and saves money.

Ivan Olynyk Victoria