RCMP to Target High Risk Intersections
Sgt. Matt LaBelle says Traffic Unit will be out in force- 250News
Prince George, B.C.- Drivers in Prince George take note, the Prince George RCMP Traffic Unit is going to be on the look out for high risk behaviours at the intersections in the City which have the highest crash stats.ICBC’s most recent statistics are from 2013, but RCMP Sergeant Matt LaBelle says the local detachment’s own, more recent data, mirrors those numbers from three years ago.
The intersection of Domano Boulevard and Highway 16 had 41 crashes in 2013, making it the number one location for collisions in Prince George. But when data from all years is combined, the top ten worst intersections in Prince George roll out like this:
- Domano/Hwy 16
- Highway 97/Central Street at 15th Ave
- Ferry Avenue and Hwy 16
- Highway 16 and 97
- 15th Avenue, ,Patricia Boulevard/ Victoria Street
- 20th and Victoria Street
- Konrath road/Westgate Road/ Hwy 16
- 15th and Ospika
- Massey Drive at 17th/20th and Carney
- Cowart/Vance Roads and Hwy 16
“These intersections represent 21% of our total collisions and 21% of our casualty or injuries” says Sgt. LaBelle “We believe these intersections are still our top ten locations for a high frequency of collisions.”.
RCMP will not necessarily be stationed at the high risk intersections, but will patrol the corridors leading to the hot spots. Officers will be looking for the top contributing factors which contribute to crashes including:
- impaired driving,
- distracted driving,
- speeding and
- intersection related violations.
Also, in an effort to reduce injuries, will also be watching to make sure people are obeying the rules and using seat belts.
That’s not to say officers won’t be looking for violations in other locations in the City, but their focus will be on the areas noted.
“We can’t be everywhere at once, so we are also relying on the citizens of this community to help us out with this” says Sgt. LaBelle, “We’re asking that if they see a dangerous or impaired driver, to pull over and call us at 9-1-1. If they see a traffic violation they want to report, to call our administrative line (250-561-3300) and under the Motor Vehicle Act, we can issue the registered owner of that vehicle with a violation and all we need is a written statement and the willingness to go to court, obviously a description of what occurred.”.
The focus on collision hot spots in the community fits into the overall Prince George Detachment’s efforts to focus its enforcement, whether it be on criminal activity or traffic, to those people and areas which are considered “prolific”.
Sgt. LaBelle says the bottom line is simple, “The Traffic Services Section is committed to reducing the number of collisions at our high frequency locations in the City.”
Comments
Loaded logging trucks (often pulling fully loaded trailers) are allowed to travel side by side on the Bypass, thereby blocking the vehicles behind them from seeing the traffic lights at intersections. They often run amber and red lights, so a vehicle behind them may end up entering an intersection which already has a red light! It happened to a driver ahead of me just the other day!
Restrict them to the right hand lane and not to exceed the speed limits!
You’re blaming trucks for other drivers running red lights? That’s a gooder.
Your remark leaves me dumbfounded! Because of the height of the logging trucks and the fact that they are travelling side by side (!) it is impossible for traffic that follows them to see the traffic lights! If this site would allow pictures I would include one for those who do not understand. It has nothing to do with blaming, but everything to do with safety!
Following each other in the same lane will get those loads to their destination just as fast!
So, if an over height vehicle is obstructing your view of the intersection, your answer is make a law? The correct answer is to not enter an intersection unless it is safe to do so (check your driver education materials everyone)If you can’t see the lights, DON’T GO!! And no matter what laws are written, anyone who drives with the “they went through, so I will too” mentality is going to be the cause of intersection accidents.
The sun is in my eyes lots, so it is difficult to see the lights, should we make a law? No, I just slow down and make sure I can safely enter the intersection.
maybe those drivers are tailgating the trucks? Or just running reds? If you can’t see what’s in front of you, let off the throttle and give them some room!!!
I agree that they should stay in left lane unless they need to turn right obviously. I have noticed that Lomak is the worst for that. With that being said, if you are not following too close behind a truck, you can see the light. It is your responsibility to approach a light with caution especially if it’s a stale green light. So if you run a red while behind a semi, then that’s your fault for following too close not the trucker’s.
shouldn’t be following so close
Next is to target the dicks with illegal headlights out on the hwy at night.
I notice lately it’s the cars with their headlights adjusted way up that is more of a problem than the illegal headlights. How do they stop those guys I don’t know?
Dumbfounded: I found as I got older, lights at night became a problem. Its part of growing older.
I don’t look directly at them but use them a bit to see what’s in between us.
I also slow down if I have to.
Heavy trucks need to be restricted to the right lane in the city (as opposed to the slo-mo drag race especially on Central St.).
Also, on Hwys 16 and 97 there are limited passing lanes and time and again one heavy truck running the speed limit will be passed by another with a differential speed of a few km’s taking the entire 1 or 2 km passing lane up.
Texting is an issue as well, went across town this AM,and did not notice any evidence on a crack down or fear of the higher fines.
So, one truck that equals the length of ten cars that can get up to the speed limit as quickly as cars, should be restricted to the right lane because it is a truck? I’ve seen many trucks leave right lane traffic behind on the bypass. Please tell me again why they should be restricted to the RH lane.
If you were driving a truck in Vancouver and stayed in the left lane, you’d get a ticket.
Its just common courtesy and common sense to stick to the right lane if you’re driving a truck.
Oh, and all traffic has the right to use passing lanes as required. Just because you are in a car doesn’t give you special passing lane right of way.
Truck drivers still have to use their heads. A loaded truck trying to pass a loaded truck on a passing lane is sheer stupidity, but “professional” drivers will attempt it time and time again and end up using up the entire lane because they are only fractionally faster than the truck they are passing. Meanwhile, other drivers are being in convinced by someone who should have known better.
An empty truck has every right to pass a loaded truck where it is safe to do so. That’s what the passing lanes are for.
It isn’t about empties passing loads. It is about loads trying to pass other loads and inconveniencing everyone else.
If they built better intersections, a lot of this wouldn’t be happening. Like Domano… WHO in their right mind builds a hilly climb to a intersection?? By the casino.. one turning lane… this is the MAIN intersection of our City, Westgate area??? REALLY??? Were the people stoned that designed these areas??? Underpass to get to Wal Mart area was a great idea.. get that engineer back to redisgn these other roads
Matt, I think you and Al Steinhauser should go over to highways and twist Maxwells arm until he can get Victoria and the city to agree that Ospika should be extended and merge with 16, think that would take a lot of heat off Domano.
Don’t think there’s very many bad intersections out there, just very poor choices by drivers with no patience.
Stillsmokin, agree with you 100%. Merge and yield seems to be a huge problem in these areas as well. I’m not convinced a large part of the population knows the difference.
I go through the intersection of Hwy16/Vance/Cowart several times a day and see the same thing, ppl trying to beat the light. Just 2 hrs ago I witnessed a knob running the light when he/she had lots of time to stop and I was glad to see the person turning left have patience and wait. I was even more elated to see a cop turn on the lights and pull that idiot over. About time a cop was there when I see ppl run that light. They are normally not around when you want them but pop right up when you don’t. ;)
I would hazard a guess that 80% if the traffic is using these 10 most dangerous intersections. So, if the RCMP and Highways focus 80% of their efforts improving these intersections, I suspect the incidence of accidents will also decrease by about 80%. It’s hard to argue with “Pareto’s Law”.
Red light cameras at all these intersection would probably help reduce the amount intersection violations.
Interesting how people bitch about intersection violations and then down vote it when someone suggests a viable solution.
I guess the guy who down voted this makes it a habit to run red lights and doesn’t want to be held accountable. lol.
For the love of god teach people the difference between a Yield and a MERGE! The idiots at pine center just fly into traffic thinking that is how you ‘Yield’. The idiots at cowart and the Domano stopping when entering the highway because they think that is how you MERGE! Just stay off of the roads.
The Cowart road one is understandable. It is too short and has a lousy geometry. A lot of drivers in this town are unclear on the concept that they have to make allowance for the merging driver to do so safely. If it is a choice between an accident or being called an idiot for not “knowing how to merge”, I’ll take the idiot label since most of the other hopeless drivers in this city don’t how to let another driver merge safely.
for me in the 1960th. everyone inside the Circle has the ” right of way ” This knowledge has not made it yet to Prince George . Some Day I wonder if some are Living in the late Bronze Age! Same goes for Yield and Merge, what is so hard to understand ! Back to Horse and Buggy Times.
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