On a day set aside to remember people who were killed or seriously injured on Canada’s roadways, the RCMP is asking Nova Scotians to take a moment and remember.
Many collisions are preventable and are the result of drivers being impaired by alcohol or drugs, speeding and/or driving aggressively, driving while distracted, or failing to wear a seat belt.
When someone is killed or seriously injured in a collision, the impact is far reaching and devastating. Families, friends, and loved ones are impacted as are police officers who are often first on scene.
Cst. Chad Morrison of Traffic Services reflects about one of those times, “I’ll never forget the day that my partner and I responded to the scene of a collision involving an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV). The seemingly innocent act of driving a child a few hundred feet across the property without the protection of a helmet cost a man his life that day. It’s situations like these make you reflect on just how quickly and unexpectedly tragedy can strike.”
The facts:
· On average, five people die on Canada’s roads every single day.
· Each year in Canada, over 1,800 people are killed and nearly 162,000 are injured (over 10,200 seriously).
· Alcohol, drugs, speeding, driver distraction (e.g.: texting, phoning), fatigue and failure to buckle up are key factors that can contribute to collisions.
· The prevalence of drug impaired driving is now rivaling alcohol impaired driving.
· Distracted driving is a growing safety concern and is not just about driving while texting. It could be reaching to get something, eating or changing the radio station. Anytime you take your eyes off the road, you are putting yourself and others on the road at risk.
Taking pause today and every day to consider your own driving, you could save a life. We all have a responsibility to share the road with other drivers and to drive safely. If you see someone driving dangerously, call 911.
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Source: Media Release