So how many deaths on Hwy 97N does this make for 2016 already? 5 ? 6? Something has to change. My suggestion is a ramp up of RCMP patrols and speed traps. I’m sure some of you will trash this idea, but instead, come up with a better suggestion. All so sad and unnecessary.

A four lane highway would solve a lot of accidents, considering the majority of them are head on collisions.

Vikingnuck…what makes you think this accident, or any other, is the result of speeding? There are a host of other reasons besides speed that cause a driver to make a mistake. Yes, there have been far too many fatalities on northern highways. We know that 4 lane roads have fewer head on collisions and we are slowly ( some think much too slowly ) but we don’t get the same attention as down south. That will never change in our lifetimes. However, coming to conclusions and implying speed is the problem before proper investigations only hurts those involved.

I am with you on this Vikingnuck. I have driven all over this province for years, and have noticed the following especially lately:
-little to no RCMP highway patrols
-no roadside radar enforcement (hwy and city)
-way too many drivers on their mobile devices (private vehicles and commercial)
-average speed for many is 15-25 km/hr over posted speed limit.
-excessive tailgating
-illegal accessory lighting (HID and LED)

I too am firmly of the opinion that ICBC and RCMP brass need to address this issue. The cops on the street only do what they are told. Change needs to come from higher up. People refusing to drive properly and to road conditions are doing so at the expense of our insurance rates and sacrificing the safety of all others on the road. One death is one too many. The recent number in just 5 weeks should be enough to incite change, but it has not. Hopefully someone, somewhere is willing to put the brakes on what seems like a growing problem. Too many grievong families are out there asking “why?”.

Yes 4 lane divided hwy is optimal, but the north has operated without for many decades. People need to focus on driving and road conditions. The 4 laning will eventually be complete, but its no excuse for crappy driving.

This is just terrible another death on our out dated highways. I don’t know what caused the accident but I do know the MLAs need to get their head out of the sand and start updating these highways. We were told that the highway would be twinned by 2020 but the way they are pissing around with so very little equipment it will take another 100 yrs.Just great for tourism with these dog trail highways.We also don’t need crappy winter maintenance.

“Yes 4 lane divided hwy is optimal, but the north has operated without for many decades.” .. that is a dead argument. There is far more traffic on those highways than there was decades ago. Commercial vehicles alone have increased dramatically. Used to pass a semi every 10 or 20 vehicles, now it is every 3rd one to 5th one is a semi. It seems to be the name of the game for auto manufacturers to bring out vehicles with way more horsepower than what the average person needs these days. We don’t have an autobahn over here, but to see the way some people speed on the highways you would think we do.

Accessory lighting on the highways is not an issue, those get turned off for oncoming traffic, its the OEM lighting now installed on vehicles that is the problem in town. Yes some headlights are very bright in town but the so called OEM auxiliary lighting that many people have turned on in good visibility in town for some is a big issue. Also the new fangled bright headlights drown out the turn signals that are placed right next them, making it almost impossible to see the signals.

I dissagree seamutt. Dodge is the worst. The driving lights remain on, on low beam. Truckers put in these after market low beam lights that blind you.

No one knows what caused this crash. But people must stop blaming the roads. They are like guns, they are inanimate objects that just sit there waiting for a human to become involved. Sometimes there are mechanical issues with vehicles or a host of other issues.

“illegal accessory lighting (HID and LED)” A huge problem on our highways. I can’t believe the feds haven’t done something to put an end to all the illegal lighting out there.

But people must stop blaming the roads

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We’ve raised the past couple of generations with the belief that it is always someone else’ responsibility and or fault. Personal responsibility has gone the way of the dodo.

Firstly, my deepest sympathy to the family that has lost a Mother, or Father, or Son, or Daughter, a Grandmother, a Grandfather, an Uncle, or Aunt, or was it a Sister, or a Brother, or was it a friend, bottom line it was a life. There is now a grieving family, and I feel that our comments should be coming from the heart, nothing more than words of condolences.
R.I.P. ………..

Disgusting of you to put a picture of an accident, where a guy died. Anything for a few views I guess. How would you feel if this was your family member who died, and this image was splattered across the media? Vultures.

Yesterday all the Bad Truckers(the good Truckers stayed home) must have been on 16W. driving over the Centerline and passing when not safe, Watchdog got it right on. I never blame the Road, some drive like Idiots and yes you drive around the posted Speed, it feel like you are standing still. The only good thing about yesterday, cauliflower is down to 4 Dollars now!

Even if we agreed speed doesn’t cause accidents, it certainly reduces the chance of avoiding them, and increases the severity of them.

If you’re travelling at 120 km, and Suzzy Texter is coming toward you at the same speed, and at the 600 ft mark, she crosses the center line, you have less than 3 seconds to figure out what to do, and do it, because you’re travelling at 110 ft per second and so is she.

At 100 km, you have an extra half second, which doesn’t sound like much, but it’s enough time to score a goal in a hockey game. It might be enough time to reduce your speed and ditch your vehicle.

In addition, the force of two vehicles hitting each other at 120 km, vs 100 km is significantly more. It can mean the difference between limping away, and being taken away in a body bag.

one of the drivers could have had a medical emergency, we do not know so we cannot speculate what may have caused the accident, my deepest condolences to the family and friends who have lost a loved one and my heart goes to the person and his/her family that survived this awful incident, I can only imagine the pain they will live with forever now.

Condolences to the family of the deceased.
Thoughts too for the responders* and the driver of the big rig, it is never easy. Being in the midst of the mayhem and tragedy can take its toll.

*Volunteer fire fighter/medics, P.G Regional Highway Rescue (I assume those fine volunteers were there) the RCMP, B.C. Ambulance paramedics, tow truck operators.
metalman.