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The-Last-Word

Icy truth about crashes

"Icy roads cause two fatal accidents.”

“Icy roads cause head-on crash.”

“Icy roads cause crashes.”

“Slick road conditions cause multiple accidents.”

We see headlines like these over and over again during our Canadian winters. Each time I see one, I cringe.

How about: 

“Two people died because of a failure to adjust speed to winter road conditions.”

“Overdriving icy road conditions causes head-on crash.”

“A bizarre lack of recognition that winter roads can become icy causes crashes.”

“Drivers fail to adjust speed for slick road conditions, an entirely predictable winter reality.”

Which set of headlines is more likely to inspire a higher sense of driver responsibility, and with it a reduction of winter crashes? Why does our news media choose to hold naturally occurring and predictable winter road surfaces accountable instead of those who overdrive them?

We can’t be too hard on our news media. They are a product of our driving culture.

Why is our culture so resistant to driver accountability, generally? I recently wrote about the insidious use of the word ‘accident’ when referring to crashes and collisions, the word implying inevitability, as in ‘accidents happen’. A crash is no accident 

I invited us to follow the lead of the RCMP. You won’t hear an RCMP member use the word ‘accident’ when referring to a crash or collision because they know how preventable they are with a modicum of driver attention and care.

We shouldn’t need a law to direct us to adjust driving speed for winter road conditions, but we do have one. Section 144(1)(c) of the Motor Vehicle Act directs that ‘A person must not drive a motor vehicle on a highway at a speed that is excessive relative to the road, traffic, visibility or weather conditions.’

If each of us followed that very sensible direction, the headlines - and the injuries and deaths behind those headlines - would stop. 

We need to break out of the mentality that accidents happen, and take responsibility. 

We must realize that posted speed limits apply only to ideal road conditions. Constant vigilance about the condition of road surfaces needs to be our winter driving focus. Traction can change from one street to the next, and from one section of road to the next. Temperature drops can change the slipperiness of road surfaces over the course of a journey. We must adjust our speed to anticipate and accommodate those changes.

We might also consider postponing our winter driving on days when road conditions are reported to be more challenging. Yes, with great care, crashes can be avoided in exceedingly slippery conditions. Why not avoid the risk, though, by running that errand another day?

Don’t stop with your own driving behaviours and attitudes. Become a road safety advocate with those around you.

And to the news media: How about adjusting crash reporting so as to encourage, rather than discourage, driver accountability and responsibility? You hold such immense power to shape public attitudes, and should choose to proactively use that power.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.



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About the Author

Lawyer Paul Hergott began writing as a columnist in January 2007. 

Achieving Justice, based on Paul’s personal injury practice at the time, focused on injury claims and road safety.  It was published weekly for 13½ years until July 2020, when his busy legal practice no longer left time for writing.

Paul was able to pick up writing again in January 2024. After transitioning his practice to estate administration and management.

Paul’s intention is to write primarily about end of life and estate related matters, but he is very easily distracted by other topics.

You are encouraged to contact Paul directly at [email protected] with legal questions and issues you would like him to write about.



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The views expressed are strictly those of the author and not necessarily those of Castanet. Castanet does not warrant the contents.

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