This weekend, I was heading east from Kinbasket Lake, returning home after a relaxing camping trip on the beach.
As I went to make my left hand turn onto my road in the Blaeberry, I began signalling well in advance. The lineup of cars behind me was seemingly endless.
I gradually slowed down, showing my intent to turn left onto the upcoming dirt road. The amount of westbound traffic at that moment meant that I had to come to a complete stop before navigating my turn. I did this slowly and cautiously, checking my rearview mirror to ensure I wasn’t going to get rear ended. As I looked behind my car, I saw another car pull onto the shoulder of the road, which isn’t very wide in that section.
Undoubtedly, the driver was going too fast, or not paying attention to what was happening down the highway in front of them. This section of the road is pretty visible, and hasn’t been host to many accidents in my time here.
However, twinning the highway could prevent my worst fears. First, I was afraid of being rear ended. Then I was afraid for the other people in the lineup behind me. There have been countless times when drivers are simply not paying attention, or don’t react quickly enough to navigate situations like these.
This weekend, two women lost their lives near Field in motor vehicle incidents. Other people were injured.
Kudos to the government for committing to twinning the highway, but I wish it could happen sooner. How many more pople will lose their lives before it is completed?
It’s a bit of a pain to drive through 50 km of construction at a time, but when I think about the safety measures that will be taken care of, it is worth the bit of extra time it takes.
And on that note, there are too many drivers still speeding through construction zones. Especially when there are workers present. These workers can do a much more efficient job if they aren’t worrying about their own health and safety while on the job site.
Summer construction and travelling season is fully underway, and it doesn’t show signs of slowing down. Traffic was especially busy over the long weekend with everyone travelling to their destinations.
One of the best lessons I was told while learning to drive is to give the vehicles ahead of you enough space, in case of needing to stop quickly. Driving defensivley is the key to ensuring your safety, and the safety of everyone around you.
Everybody needs to take a deep breath, and remember that arriving safely and in one piece is what matters most, not the extra few minutes you might arrive early.
