‘Brake-checking’ was blamed for two collisions near Chase as 2020 came to an end.
On Dec. 28 just after 1 p.m., Chase RCMP were advised of an erratic driver on the Trans-Canada Highway near Sorrento.
The complainant reported that a silver Lexus with an Alberta licence plate was tailgating, passing unsafely and speeding excessively.
Members of the Southeast District traffic unit intercepted the vehicle.
The driver, a 23-year-old woman from Alberta, told police it was the complainant who was driving aggressively and had ‘brake-checked’ her.
“Both parties received warnings regarding their driving choices,” wrote Sgt. Barry Kennedy in a news release.
He added that Chase RCMP responded to a total of 525 driving complaints in 2020.
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Still on the topic of brake-checking, on Dec. 30, Chase officers were advised of what they describe as a relatively minor collision at the Highway 97 exit of Highway 1.
Kennedy said the driver of a Ford pickup told police he had been trying to overtake a Chevy pickup, but each time he tried to pass, the driver intentionally blew snow in front of him.
The collision is alleged to have occurred when the driver of the Chevy pickup unexpectedly slammed on his brakes and was then rear-ended by the Ford pickup, which was unable to stop on the slippery roads.
The driver of the Ford pickup told police he believed the driver of the Chevy ‘brake-checked’ him, as there was no obvious reason for him to slam on his brakes.
“This collision illustrates the importance of allowing a safe following distance, especially in winter driving conditions. Further to that, those who choose to conduct a ‘brake-check’ manoeuvre should not be surprised when they are rear-ended,” Kennedy remarked.
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Also on Dec. 30, Chase RCMP were told just after 10:45 a.m. of a single-vehicle collision on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Chase. The complainant was a truck driver, who advised that a small blue car attempted to pass him and then went into the ditch.
Both police and ambulance responded. One occupant of the car, a 36-year-old woman from Kamloops, was transported to hospital by ambulance. The other occupant, a 36-year-old man, also from Kamloops, left the scene before police arrived. Kennedy said neither person has been cooperative with the police investigation.
Kennedy said Chase RCMP investigated 174 motor-vehicle collisions in 2020. Eighty were considered minor, 53 were more serious, 38 involved injuries and three collisions resulted in fatalities.
marthawickett@saobserver.netLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
