REGINA — Daydreaming about your summer vacation plans while stuck in traffic? Quickly replying to a text while stopped at a red light?* While it can be easy to let your mind and focus drift elsewhere when driving a familiar route, it’s important to keep your attention on the road – especially when it comes to intersections, according to SGI.
Driver distraction and inattention were consistently among the top five contributing factors in intersection collisions on Saskatchewan roads over the past five years.** As part of the August Traffic Safety Spotlight, SGI and law enforcement are reminding drivers to pay close attention on roadways – a timely reminder after the month of June saw the highest number of distracted driving offences reported in a single month all year.
“Driving can often feel like a routine task, but it involves a lot of attention and focus,” said SGI President and CEO Penny McCune. “Navigating through intersections requires even more concentration because there’s often so much going on in multiple directions. Drivers need to make sure they’re ready to react quickly to whatever arises.”
On average, 29 per cent of fatalities and 60 per cent of injuries on Saskatchewan roads happened in intersection collisions over the past five years.** Be a defensive driver, and follow these practices:
· Look both ways before entering any intersection.
· Anticipate the traffic light changing to avoid running through an amber or red light.
· Don’t depend on other drivers to signal or execute their turns correctly.
· Never pass another vehicle in or while approaching an intersection.
· Use caution and yield the right of way to the vehicle on the right at uncontrolled intersections.
· Don’t follow too close, and keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.
· Share the road and be attentive to pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and e-scooters. These vulnerable road users are at a higher risk of injury in a collision than people in passenger vehicles.
In addition, keep your thoughts on the task in front of you. Put your cellphone away, leave your take-out in the bag until you get home, and make sure any passengers know your focus needs to stay on getting everyone to their destination safely.
Make sure you follow SGI on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Threads for more information on this month’s Traffic Safety Spotlight.
*Holding, viewing or manipulating a hand-held cellphone or mobile device while driving is prohibited in Saskatchewan.
**According to SGI’s most recent collision data for the years 2017-2021.
