The horrific, tragic vehicle crash that killed a family of five near Williams Lake last week has me wondering why more isn’t being done to improve the safety of lane markings on our major roads and highways?
It used to be that lane markings were repainted with durable oil-based paints. But new environmental rules have apparently prohibited the use these paints. This is great for the environment (and I support that), but it’s not great for road safety because the water-based paints being used instead of oil just aren’t standing up to B.C.’s road conditions.
Why can’t we have the lane markings inlaid into our highways just like they have on the Sea-to-Sky Highway? Grooved lane markings don’t wear away as easily as lines painted with water-based paint, and I’ve seen how they reflect back to the driver even on rainy nights with poor visibility.
I don’t know how much it would cost to put grooved lane markings on all our roads and highways, but what is the real cost of safety? I’d say it’s worth far more than any short term expense that would make our roads and highways as safe as they can be.
Donald Leung
