This is a cautionary tale of what can happen when drivers become impatient while driving in winter.During a single 24-hour period, between 10 a.m February 2 and 10 a.m. February 3, the Moncton metropolitan area in New Brunswick experienced a total of 23 accidents, including 15 with injuries.  Codiac Regional RCMP reported that all of the accidents could have been prevented.

Most of the accidents coincided with a strong storm that dumped more than 20 centimetres of snow onto the already snowbound streets and roads around Metro Moncton.

Among the accidents reported was a two-vehicle accident that closed Route 114 just past Riverview, in which a small pickup truck collided with a front-end loader.  In another, a truck with a plow struck a pedestrian.  Three separate collisions occurred on Highway 2 between the Magnetic Hill and Gorge Road exits. District 11 RCMP reported responding to seven collisions in the morning of February 3 alone in the Caledonia region.

Thankfully, despite the high number of collisions, only one person was transported to hospital with unreported injuries. No other injuries were reported.  But body shops had to be happy about all of that extra work.

It is believed that all of the accidents were related to slippery winter road conditions, especially at intersections, where the snow tends to get packed down and ice over. Many intersections also have high snowbanks, which may block the view of oncoming traffic. Officials report that city crews were working hard to clear streets, and they hoped to get to cutting down snow banks as soon as possible.

But officials also blame impatient drivers, and have tried to remind them to slow down and drive according to conditions.  If you think you’re in a hurry and that slowing down will make you late for whatever you have to do, consider how much time an accident will take you, not to mention the money it will take to fix the damage.

Then there are the insurance payments. The Insurance Bureau of Canada suggested that the number of accidents could result in higher insurance premiums for everyone. They advise all drivers to check their policy and be aware of their deductible, to get their vehicle off the road quickly in case of an accident, to get insurance information from all drivers in the accident, and to take photos, if possible, from various angles, as they could be useful in verifying an insurance claim later.

Texting while driving is a bad idea when you’re alone in your car. But in an age when everyone seems to have a camera or video camera on their person at all times, you have to wonder about someone who goes even farther.

AToronto bus driver faces disciplinary, up to and including firing, after a passenger took a photo of him texting while operating a bus. The vehicle carried approximately 30 passengers and travelling at approximately 50 kilometres per hour at the time the photo was taken, according to the passenger-photographer.

The Toronto Transit Commission has made it clear that, in addition to being illegal, it considers such an incident as a serious breach of public safety and commission rules, and is taking this ”extremely seriously.”

Texting while driving has been illegal on Ontario roads since October 2009 and violators face fines of up to $500. But beyond that, it violates a TTC policy that was in place long before the Ontario law took effect.

The passenger who took the photo says he doesn’t want the driver to lose his job, but he also doesn’t want people texting while driving, either. He said that several passengers saw the driver texting, but no one else bothered to say anything to the driver.

This isn’t the first time a TTC employee has been caught off-guard by someone with a camera. Last January, someone photographed a fare collector sleeping on the job. Before that, a passenger took video of a driver engaged in a prolonged coffee break while passengers were on the bus, and the bus was left idling.

Wayne Scott has decided to take on the city of Toronto on behalf of those who rely on bicycles for their jobs. He’s taken his case to the Ontario Labour Relations Board, and claimed that Toronto’s streets constitute an unsafe workplace for those who cycle on the job.

Scott, who retired from the courier business about four years ago, is trying to force the city to study the dangers to cyclists on its roads and address the problems with better street design, enforcement of traffic rules and more bike lanes, and to do it all within two years. He claims the city has failed to apply the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that require employers to take reasonable precautions to protect their workers.

Last week, Toronto officials said they didn’t know how many employees use bikes on the job, but it’s probably quite a few. Among those who use bicycles on duty include police, EMS workers and bylaw officers, and they run essentially the same risk as any recreational cyclist or bike courier. Among the biggest problems include of having a car door opened suddenly in their path or being hit at an intersection.

Scott contends that a key reason for such risk is because the rules of the road are poorly enforced and the city is years behind on completing its own bike plan. He says the city tells people to ride bicycles in the city, but does nothing to protect them. He feels that, if the city is going to encourage more cycling, it should do more to make it safe.

The city’s 2001 bike plan called for 500 kilometres of bike lanes by 2011. Currently, there are only 112 kilometres of bike lanes in place, and the deadline is now 2012.

WorkSafeBC and the City of Vernon recently revealed a series of signs featuring photographs of city workers and their kids, aged 4-13, asking drivers to slow down near public worksites and protect workers from potential injury.

The large signs, most of which are mounted on city trucks, are part of the agency’s new “Slow Down” campaign; a roadside safety initiative designed to protect city crews. One sign features a 6′ x 3′ photo of a worker’s family, including his wife and 11- and 13-year-old daughters featuring the slogan, “Slow down, our dad works here.”

Vernon is just one of 20 other “Slow Down” campaign partners, which include municipal, construction and road-building entities across British Columbia. The program was launched in July 2007, and thus far, more than 130 signs have been placed throughout the province on prominent road-building and construction projects.

WorkSafeBC is an independent provincial statutory agency created in 1917 as a result of an agreement between the province’s workers and employers, in which workers gave up the right to sue for injuries on the job in return for a no-fault insurance program fully paid for by employers.

At the end of October, Ontario’s new distracted driving law took effect. The law makes it illegal for motorists to use almost any hand-held communication or entertainment devices while driving, except for a rare emergency. Therefore, if you tend to talk, text or e-mail from a hand-held device while operating a motor vehicle, expect to be stopped by police if you’re caught.

The new law only applies to hand-held devices, so if you really have to make a call, you can still use one of the following:

• A cell phone with an earpiece or headset using voice dialing, or plugged into the vehicle’s sound system

• A global positioning system (GPS) device that is properly secured to the dashboard or another accessible place in the vehicle.
• A portable audio player that has been plugged into the vehicle’s sound system.
• 
  

The law also permits the use of some wireless devices that require users to push a button to activate and/or deactivate the device’s “hands-free” function.

The only exceptions to the law allow drivers to use hand-held devices when calling for emergency personnel when they see an accident, or when the vehicle is safely pulled off the roadway, and is stationary and/or legally parked. Drivers may also view a display screen of an instrument or system that provides system status on the vehicle itself, but not a portable movie screen or laptop.

Of course, emergency personnel, police and the fire department will be permitted to use hand-held wireless communications devices and view display screens in the normal performance of their duties.

The use of hand-held radios by amateur radio operators (who provide assistance, especially in emergency situations such as severe storms and blackouts) will be phased out within three years, to allow hands-free technologies to be developed.

In addition, a small percentage of drivers in transport-related industries, like school buses, taxis and couriers, and public service workers, like transit and highway maintenance workers, who rely on wireless devices and display screen technologies in their work will receive a three-year reprieve, in the form of a phase-out period for the commercial use of two-way radios, including mobile and CB radios, to allow for hands-free technologies to be developed. In addition, mobile data terminals, logistical tracking devices and dispatching devices will be exempt for commercial and public service vehicle drivers who are engaged in the performance of their duties.

Hand-mikes (push-to-talk systems) and portable radios (walkie-talkies) may be used in a hands-free mode. This would mean the driver can use a lapel button or other hands-free application as long as the hand-mike or walkie-talkies is not held while driving.

This is a lot to remember, but it you would like a copy of the Ontario government regulation, click here. Suffice it to say, if you have to talk while you drive, try to do it hands-free.

I know, a messy car seems innocent enough. You throw stuff in the back with every intention of putting in the garage or throwing it away, but you just never seem to find the time. And the more you throw back there, the less inclined you are to clean up your act. Look back there; there’s a small toolbox; a golf club you’ve been meaning to take to the pro shop for repair; the tackle box from the last time you went fishing – was that a year ago already? A couple of bottles of soda you forgot about, and now they’ve been heated and cooled so much, you’re sure they won’t taste right. But you keep forgetting to throw them away.

Would you like some incentive to clean the car immediately? How would you feel if, by cleaning out your messy car, you increased your odds of surviving an accident? Would that be enough to get you to do it?

The fact is, loose objects inside cars become dangerous flying projectiles if you brake quickly or you’re involved in a collision. And it’s not just the stuff in the back seat that creates a problem anymore. The way some passenger cars are designed these days, some objects stored in the trunk or behind the back seat can fly out of their compartments and strike passengers.

According to the National Roads and Motorists’ Association, if you are forced to brake suddenly, while traveling at 50 kmh, a one-litre bottle of water or soda could hit you with a force equivalent to 20 kilograms. Sudden braking from that speed would mean that bag of groceries or that golf club could hit you or one of your passengers with the same force as if it was dropped on you from a three storey building. When a car decelerates violently, the force of gravity created means a loose object can pack as much as 20 times the punch it would normally. This goes for passengers and pets, as well; make sure all passengers wear seatbelts, and consider a per carrier or a pet harness when you travel, or they, too, could become projectiles under certain circumstances.

If that’s not enough to scare you, think about the fact that loose objects have been known to cause serious accidents when they’ve become lodged under the gas and/or brake pedals.

There; now, you have incentive to clean out your car. Right?

Back in March 2009, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) awarded its first Performance-Based Area Maintenance Contract (AMC) in the York contract area, north of Toronto. This type of contract is far different from previous contracts in three significant ways.

First, the new AMC takes what the MTO calls a ‘one window approach’, in which maintenance, low-complexity capital improvements, and data gathering are all assigned to a single contractor covering a specific geographic area over several years. Secondly, the new contracts emphasize performance-based requirements with results-based oversight by MTO. The third difference is that contractors must now acquire and maintain ISO certification as a condition of the contract.

In previous years, the Ministry would contract all three of the above separately. With the new contracts, they are hoping to ensure more efficient services and better pricing, by bundling low complexity capital work and data gathering with a contractor who’s already working in and familiar with the area. New AMC contractors will perform low complexity capital work assigned by the MTO, as well as work that they propose in extra work reports, once approved by MTO. More complex capital work will continue to be identified and contracted separately from AMCs.

Before now, AMCs were narrowly method-based, and contract compliance was measured using time-based methods of oversight, which were quite labour-intensive. The new, performance-based AMCs require results-based oversight, based on pre-determined performance requirements. Results-based oversight is intended to hold contractors accountable to their tasks, allow for contractor innovation, and produce higher quality results, with less MTO supervision. Contract compliance is based on standard performance requirements for consistency, as well as specific contract requirements intended to address the needs of a particular area

New AMC contractors must also be ISO-certified for quality management system and environmental management system. ISO-certification is intended to assure that the new AMC contractors meet internationally recognized quality business standards and are subject to independent, third-party audits.

The new AMC template will give the ministry far more flexibility to create contracts that will serve specific areas, and they’ll allow contractors to be more innovative, while also meeting the performance requirements of ministry contracts.

There seems to be a lot of fear and trepidation on the part of the average driver when you bring up the subject of roundabouts. But they’re really not that scary, when you know a little about them.

As pretty much anyone who drives would agree, two of the most irritating problems on the roads are traffic congestion and vehicle accidents, especially for those who drive in cities. Traffic flow is a difficult process in many areas, even under the best of circumstances. While they may seem scary because they’re different, roundabouts, which are used at intersections in place of stop signs and traffic signals, are increasingly seen as a solution to the problem. And they actually work quite well.

In those areas where roundabouts have been installed, motor vehicle accidents overall have declined an average of 40%, and accidents involving injuries have been reduced by about 80%. And they are not only safer. Roundabouts create a significant improvement in traffic flow, reducing vehicle delays, as well as fuel consumption and air pollution.

The modern version of the roundabout was developed in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, but they are now widely used all over the world. The modern roundabout in Canada is a circular intersection designed to promote safe and efficient traffic flow by guiding them counter-clockwise around a raised center island, with entering traffic yielding the right of way to those vehicles already in the circle. Rural roundabouts are designed to slow traffic down to about 50 kmh, while urban roundabouts usually feature tighter curves, which are designed to slow traffic to 20-30 kmh. Within the roundabout itself, slower speeds are maintained by the deflection of traffic around the center island and the relatively tight radius, which aids in the smooth movement of vehicles into, around and out of the roundabout. Drivers who approach a roundabout must reduce their speeds, look for possible conflicts with traffic already negotiating the circle, and watch out for approaching pedestrians.

Several roundabout features promote safety. Roundabouts essentially eliminate the most common and potentially most serious types of accidents at traditional intersections with stop signs or traffic signals, such as right-angle, left-turn, and head-on collisions. These types of crashes are virtually impossible because vehicles travel in the same direction, and must slow down to negotiate the turn. Roundabouts also tend to reduce the likelihood of serious rear-end crashes, because there’s no incentive for drivers to speed up for yellow lights, or to stop abruptly at red lights.

Roundabouts are actually quite easy to drive. They seem a bit intimidating at first, because they’re different, but that’s their purpose; they’re designed to keep traffic flowing through an intersection, while slowing it down. There is no reason to be nervous; you just have to be aware.

There are always signs as you approach a roundabout. Watch for them, and note the advisory speed limit for that roundabout. As you approach, slow down and watch for pedestrians in the crosswalk. Continue to the roundabout, look to your left, and be sure to yield to traffic already in the circle. Once you see a gap, enter the circle and proceed to your exit. But as you exit, look for pedestrians.

Once in a while, usually in less densely populated areas, or when there are intersections of more than two streets, you might encounter a two-lane roundabout. For these, you’ll encounter two signs; one to advise you there’s a roundabout ahead, and the second to tell you which lane to choose for which exit. You should be careful to choose a lane before you enter the roundabout. If this sounds difficult, it’s not. Just choose the same lane you would choose if you were approaching a standard intersection. Stay to the right if you plan to either go straight or turn right, and choose the left lane if you want to go straight or turn left. To make a U-Turn, choose the left lane.

For more information, including a couple of good flash movies demonstrating how to use roundabouts, Go to this web site, which has been set up by the province of British Columbia. Don’t be afraid, just be aware and you’ll be fine.

In the wake of a seven month demonstration project, British Columbia has unveiled a comprehensive plan to make resource roads safer. The demonstration project was carried out in the Prince George forestry region, as well as the oil and gas fields southeast of Fort St. John.

Among the suggestions in the report was a call to make the best use of new technology. For instance, it was suggested that all light-duty trucks be equipped with electronic stability control, which has been shown to reduce skidding and sliding by up to 30%. Light-duty trucks seem to show the greatest susceptibility to accidents, so they were singled out for immediate modification, but eventually, the plan is to include stability control on all vehicles.

The report also included a recommendation that the province establish road safety management committees, that will enforce a consistent set of rules province-wide throughout all 29 forest districts within the province.

Other aspects of the plan are already in place. In order to operate in B.C.s timber sales program, for example, an operator must become “safe certified,” as a company by January 1, 2010. As of May 2009, 1,949 companies have been certified as such, with another 2,378 in the process of certification. Also, two pilot projects were introduced that attempt to standardize radio protocols throughout the province. Previously, different forest districts were under different radio programs, and communication was difficult.

In addition, Ministry of Forest officials will hand out speeding tickets on forest roads after a judge in Chetwynd upheld their authority to do so after three tickets were challenged in court recently. And $20 million will be allocated to improve sight lines and grades on those resource roads across the province.

The report’s recommendations will be made to WorkSafeBC, Ministry of Forests and Range, and B.C. Forest Safety Council, among others.

The City of Ottawa has reduced collisions on a stretch of Bronson Avenue by more than a third when the road is wet or icy, and credits its application of a thin layer of asphalt over a 1.2-kilometre section of existing pavement. The treatment, called micro surfacing was applied in June 2006.

Micro surfacing can be applied to sections of road that have smooth surfaces due to constant wear, and it restores the asphalt to its original state of high friction, making it easier for tires to grip the road and stop more quickly.

In the two years since city workers laid the asphalt over pavement between the Canal Bridge and the George Dunbar Bridge, police data indicates there have been 39% fewer rear end crashes under wet or icy conditions.

The city has performed similar micro surfacing at several other collision-prone intersections. The treatment costs far less than ripping up old asphalt and resurfacing the road, and can be done relatively quickly, when a problem crops up. So far, Ottawa officials are only applying micro surfacing in specific trouble spots, but given the track record so far, this method, combined with better signage and traffic control, this looks promising for the future. Safer roads don’t just safeguard the public; they also make a heavy equipment operator’s job just a little safer, as well.