SGI targets intersection safety

While overall trends in traffic casualties have been declining over the decades, Saskatchewan perennially leads all the provinces in motor vehicle deaths and injuries.

In 2012, the last year for which verified national statistics are available, the province had a fatality rate of 16.8 deaths per 100,000 population, nearly three times the national average and almost double second place Alberta.

A few years ago, SGI, the provincial insurer, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, launched a campaign to crack down on unsafe driving practices and raise awareness.

The monthly traffic blitzes, usually held over a weekend, focussed on specific behaviours such as speeding or cell phone use. More recently, the partners have modified the blitzes to take place over the entire month.

In July 2014, new legislation came into effect creating tougher penalties for many risky driving offences.

SGI’s traffic safety campaign will continue with the month-long themed crackdowns in 2015.

January’s focus is on intersection safety.

“Intersection collisions have increased year-over-year,” said Andrew Cartmell, president and CEO of SGI. “Too many people are being hurt and killed on Saskatchewan roads and it needs to stop. For the New Year, resolve to drive better. Drive safer, for you, your family, and everyone else on the road.”

SGI statistics on a rolling three-year average for 2011-2013 indicate that nearly 40 per cent of all collisions occur in intersections.

“Collisions at intersections have a high risk of serious injuries or even death, making intersection safety a priority for enforcement,” stated an SGI press release. “The collisions at intersections that can be most dangerous are a result of a driver turning left into on-coming traffic, or collisions at a right angle.”

In 2013, Saskatchewan drivers were involved in 11,000 collisions at intersections resulting in 47 deaths and injuring more than 3,500 people.

Throughout January police across the province will be looking for inattentiveness (which includes cell phone use, now the leading cause of accidents in Saskatchewan), failing to yield, driving too fast for road conditions, following too closely and disobeying traffic lights. They will be issuing tickets and impounding vehicles as per the new laws.

SGI has many tips on its website for driving more safely including the IPDE method, which stands for Indentify, Predict, Decide and Execute.

In addition authorities want people to keep in mind changing conditions.

“During the winter months, remember to slow down as you approach intersections, even if you have the right of way, in case other vehicles aren’t able to stop,” the release said. “Keep a safe following distance and give yourself extra time to stop so you have some leeway when driving conditions are slippery.”

Cartmell also encourages drivers to have foresight.

“SGI encourages drivers to plan ahead, and build in a bit more travel time to avoid that temptation to rush through an intersection,” he said.