RCMP Issue Warning To Motorists

Saturday, January 15, 2011 02:09 PM

Prince George, B.C. - With a heavy snowfall warning blanketing the entire region this evening and tomorrow, the RCMP is advising motorists to put travel plans on-hold, if possible.

North District Traffic Services NCO, Sergeant Pat McTiernan, says "We've had a number of large crashes in the past 24-hours throughout the north - we had a large commercial vehicle crash north of Hixon yesterday afternoon, we had a Greyhound bus collide with a transport near New Hazelton yesterday afternoon, and we've got (this) one out east."

"We really implore people - they have to slow down in these conditions - and, really, if you don't have to travel when we know that we're getting this weather front coming in, I would recommend they don't travel," says McTiernan.

If you must travel, Sergeant McTiernan is urging motorists to drive to road conditions and fully clean off every window. He says RCMP are noticing a number of vehicles in Prince George with snowy and iced windshields restricting their vision.

And he emphasizes the need to remove snow from your headlights and the back of your vehicle. "Yesterday, a number of the collisions were rear-enders and some of that is attributable to the fact that people aren't cleaning their tail lights, brake lights, and signal lights off." He says people often don't realize that when you travel down the highway, squalls behind your vehicle pack snow up against your lights.

Finally, McTiernan says, if you do decide you must travel, pack safety supplies in your vehicle - blankets, water, and food - in the event you go in the ditch. "Because we all know that if this weather front gets worse, it's going to increase the amount of time before emergency vehicles can get to you."

Previous Story - Next Story

Email |

Print |

Facebook |

Twitter |

Digg |

Del.icio.us

Posted on Saturday, January 15, 2011 02:09 PM in News by 250 News

Return to Home

Comments

Posted by: Fancycamper on January 15 2011 4:50 PM

A good idea to carry blankets, extra water and food. Even if you don't crash, sometimes you have to sit for a long time waiting for an accident scene to get cleaned up. Keep your gas tank topped up as well.

Posted by: Mercenary on January 15 2011 5:59 PM

Damn....and I got to go back to Ft St John tomorrow. Hopefully the worst will be past us by then.

Posted by: sun storm on January 15 2011 11:29 PM

Now we've got winter...sure is pretty though.

Posted by: gus on January 16 2011 10:41 AM

"He says people often don't realize that when you travel down the highway, squalls behind your vehicle pack snow up against your lights."

That happens within 15 minutes when driving at higher rates of speed on highways. I am sure that the RCMP is not encouraging people to stop every 15 minutes to remove snow. I suspect there would be many more accidents as a result of increased exiting from the travelled lane and getting back on. Even some people just pulling over, getting out, and getting hit.

Think, people, think!!!

Posted by: Dragonmaster on January 16 2011 10:58 AM

Gus, if your lights are not visible it's dangerous and you can be ticketed for it.
As a driver you are responsible for the safe operating condition of your vehicle. Keeping your lights visible is one of the responsibilities you have while operating that vehicle.
It is also your responsibility to exit the road in a safe place to do what ever you need to do. Don't just pull over anywhere you feel like it. Thats where brains come into play.
If you just pull over, get out and get hit I suspect you get what you asked for. If you used your brains that wouldn't happen.

Posted by: gus on January 16 2011 7:17 PM

Sorry Dragonmaster, there is theory and there is practice. There is the nice to have world and there is the real world.

This is a picture of practice.
http://www.policeny.com/bui/004%20(Custom).jpg

The fact of the matter is, that if you drive on a highway that has soft snow on it, the negative pressure behind a vehicle cause snow, dust, and any other kind of light particles to be attracted and deposited on the rear of a vehicle. It is a simple law of physics.

My car has a centre breaklight mounted at the bottom of the rear window which has heat cables burried in it. It would take extreme weather conditions for the light to be blocked.

We are forgetting about the responsibilities of the manufacturers!!!!

Car designers could do a lot better designing cars for those conditions. Engineer it properly in the first place and the highly variable human factor would not have to be relied on. Even the police, as depicted in the picture, cannot be counted on to make sure the rear of their car remains visible when driving snowy highways.

Engineer (design); Educate; Enforce; Evaluate. The full circle of the cycle of a product. The automobile is not designed properly in the first place. Some are, others are not. Time to recall many for this failure if it is such a high factor in causes of collisions.