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An 'accident' (still a term in common usage, though collision or crash is indeed a better descriptive as 'accident' suggests random chance or something that isn't preventable) cannot take place unless two or more objects try to occupy the same space at the same time. Weather and traffic data will be collected for pavement grip, visibility, temperature, traffic volume, and speed, then transmitted in real time to the RTMC, where a lower speed limit can be authorized by an operator with the appropriate authority to set speed limits. Ian Tootill, co-founder of SENSE B.C., a group that had sought speed-limit increases on major roads, said they’ll be monitoring the accident investigation.

1 / 10. Sorry, we could not verify that email address. “Safety on our highways is our No. At the time, it turned out that 85 per cent of vehicles were travelling at speeds of up to 127 km/h on that stretch of road. The signs require drivers to slow down to match the speed posted, regardless of the regular speed limits on that stretch of highway.

I find besides being selfish, it odd that drivers purposely choose to break the very laws they had to Obey in order to obtain their Privilege to operate a motor vehicle in the first place. Effective July 2, 2014, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure increased the speed limit …

In fact, if you click on that link, you'll see that Smith Sytem is simply the pre-eminent Defensive Driving organization. We travel Highway 5 from Hope to Kamloops two times each year. To improve safety in areas that have higher rates of wildlife collisions, active wildlife detection systems, gateway signs, flashing LED warning lights and wildlife fencing will be installed. We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. Reducing Risk of Collision is Safe - Obviously! The provincial government is lowering speed limits on some highways — but the Coquihalla is not among routes affected. Stone says since then the ministry has been tracking on a weekly basis the speed at which up to 85 per cent of the traffic is moving. You may be encouraged to know that the fundamental principles of Defensive Driving are based on maintaining Visibility for the Driver & Space for the Vehicle. }. Choosing a speed to travel means factoring in that increased speed means less reaction time, increased stopping distance and probably many other negatives.

Sign In. And certainly, it's a very significant factor in many crashes and not to be ignored!

Speed limits are set for ideal driving conditions and winter driving conditions are NOT ideal. “It’s proven successful in other jurisdictions, and we’ll review it after a year and see what the impacts are.” He adds that the system has a variety of different uses. Yahoo is part of Verizon Media. Sections of the Sea-to-Sky Highway north of Squamish, and Highway 1 near Revelstoke, have also been equipped with the signs, which transmit weather and traffic data in real time to the Regional Transportation Management Centre (RTMC) in Coquitlam. The API is available via a simple HTTPS interface, and exposes the following services: Snap to roads This service returns the best-fit road geometry for a given set of GPS coordinates. Coverage of the Coquihalla Highway on Globalnews.ca: Back then, the provincial government raised the speed limit on a section of the Coquihalla from Hope to Kamloops from 110 km/h to 120 km/h, with variations based on conditions, following a Rural Highway Safety and Speed Review. B.C. These concepts certainly aren't my idea, though!

Smith System is taught to Greyhound Bus drivers as being among their essential skills. @media only screen and (max-width: 767px) { Thank you for verifiying your email address. Transportation Minister Todd Stone announces changes to speed limits on some highways, including a section of the Coquihalla where it will go up to 120 km/h from 110. But advocates for increased speed limits say it’s too .

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He wants the province to set higher standards for highway maintenance contractors. In fact, it’s our number one priority on every highway across the province and the Coquihalla is no exception. Limits will be adjusted on 35 sections of highway in the Fraser Valley and Fraser Canyon (new limits of 100 to 110 km/h), Sea-to-Sky Highway (new limits of 90 to 100 km/h), on Vancouver Island (new limits of 90 to 120 km/h) and in the Southern Interior (new limits of 90 to 120 km/h). I'm of the opinion that autonomous cars could resolve speeding and tailgating related issues, once the technology has been sufficiently developed. Another accident Saturday in Chilliwack claimed the life of one person. We've sent you an email with instructions to create a new password. The Times Colonist is looking for people to deliver flyers every Thursday ... Times Colonist Christmas Fund needs your help more than ever, Sea lions throw a party on Cowichan Bay's federal breakwater to feast on spawning salmon, Jack Knox: Paperboy poetry, Port Angeles' presidential hot streak and memories of Trebek, Langford murder victim remembered as good mother who loved yoga, Nanaimo hospital has outbreak of COVID; exposure cluster at school, With gatherings discouraged, some ways to mark Remembrance Day this year, Second COVID-19 exposure reported in Nanaimo school; junior hockey games postponed, Cyclist death prompts calls for better crash investigations, commitment to zero deaths, Victoria jewelry store targeted in fraud out nearly $100,000, Island Health reports seven new COVID-19 cases, 525 reported across the province.

Drivers who have a need for speed, however, should set their sights on the top 10 fastest roads in the world: 10) SH 130 near Austin, Texas — speed limit 136 km/h; 9) Trakia highway in Bulgaria — speed limit 140 km/h; 5) Autobahn in Germany — advisory speed limit 130 km/h (not enforceable by law); 4) Nurburgring near Nurburg, Germany — No limit; 3) Isle of Man in the Irish Sea — No limit; 2) Australian Outback between Alice Springs and Barrow Creek — No limit; 1) Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah — No limit. A week before that incident, a bus carrying international students hit the highway median and a tour guide was thrown through the front window.

You'll find more data here, check Page 8.

“Somebody’s got to take the bull by the horns and it’s got to happen now,” he told Global News. You must verify your email address before signing in.

B.C. The Canadian Press CP. RCMP didn’t return calls Sunday.

Are you? Another fatality occurred Saturday in Mission in a head-on crash on Dewdney Trunk Road. I was actually quite impressed with how uniformly the traffic flowed. As Tim writes often, it is up to everybody to do their part, but when the leadership accepts higher numbers of  crashes, injuries, deaths  ,as just  a cost of going faster-there is simply not much any one can do but vote for change in 2017. Smith System Driver Improvement Institute, Q&A - Surrendering Licence to Mitigate Points.

The Coquihalla (Highway 5) Serious Crash rate - as well as the percentage of drivers exceeding the limt - has reduced since that limit was increased to 120 km/h. Much to the surprise of many, I dare say. For those who were interested in this issue on the Coquihalla, the folks at SENSE BC have a new video to view.

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On election night, I had friends call me concerned I might be losing my mind. Smith System is taught to RCMP Officers as being among their essential skills. 3. the median speed of travel is above the speed limit. As a result of technical analysis, studded-tire and chain regulations will be modernized and winter tires will be required on high mountain passes for one less month (from Oct. 1 until March 31). Please check your inbox and follow the instructions to confirm your email. I have taught the principles of Smith System driving to many people over the years - particularly to those requiring mandatory remedial instruction as a result of too many speeding tickets, as it happens. Obviously, as Phil points out (quite often, really) Distracted Driving is a root cause of many collisions; but a Distracted Driver can't hit you if there's a sufficient buffer of space between you. I choose the best reason to exceed the speed limit - safety. As for Speeding, well that's been cited as the cause for crashes by the Police (who give most of their attention to it) for decades, now.

We didn't recognize that password reset code. Sorry, we could not verify your email address. roads. Other roads will have speeds raised over the summer. Your password has been successfully updated. Five new highway webcams have also been installed along the Coquihalla to assist drivers, as well as operators at the RTMC. Transportation Minister Todd Stone announces changes to speed limits on some highways, including a section of the Coquihalla where it will go up to 120 km/h from 110.Photo by A 24-kilometre stretch of the Coquihalla Highway between the Portia Interchange and the former toll plaza has now been equipped with 13 variable speed limit signs, as part of a pilot project from the Ministry of Transportation.

The highway had its speed limit raised from 110 km/h to 120 km/h earlier this month after Transportation Minister Todd Stone announced that, after lengthy consultation, speed limits would rise on some roads.

It is hoped that the new cameras, and the variable speed signs, will spur more drivers to reduce their speed in severe winter conditions and save lives by reducing the frequency and severity of crashes. Find out what's happening in your community.

But advocates for increased speed limits say it’s too soon to draw any conclusions.

My own concern with that highway is not so much people travelling at 130-140 km/hr (as a noticeable number of people do now), but people tailgating at that speed (who don't seem to understand the "except to pass" portion of the keep right law). {* newPasswordConfirm *}. Over the course of my trip I will encounter fewer drivers if I travel with the flow of traffic. Your existing password has not been changed.

I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy. “There’s a long way to go here — they still have a lot of work to do.”. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful.