As a Fire Chief in southeast Saskatchewan and during an early morning callout on the morning of November 28, I experienced not only the lives of my firefighters at risk too many times in a single call, but all people on the highway. We were on the scene of a multi-vehicle collision that completely blocked both lanes of traffic on a highway with a posted speed of 100km/hr.
As per our standard operating procedures we had placed "emergency ahead" florescent pink signs 1 mile each side of the intersections where fire trucks would be diverting traffic around the scene. At those intersections a fire truck and two firefighters wearing reflective high visibility vests and using lighted batons would detour the traffic around the accident.
A contributing factor was thick and heavy fog. Very few drivers would reduce their speed as the past the road sign, and a few were still exceeding the posted speed limit as they came within view of the flashing lights on the fire trucks. We could just headlights and the ominous sound of tires skidding on the ice covered pavement. One pickup took the ditch missing the fire truck by a few feet. Another truck pulling a camper ended up in the ditch. A 1 ton pickup truck pulling a backhoe skidded around a fire truck with only inches to spare, not bothering to stop until forced too by the debris on the highway 1/8th of a mile past the fire truck.
We know that a car traveling at 100km/hr. takes almost 300 feet to stop in good driving conditions. That's the length of a football field. Add an ice covered highway to that and we know that the stopping distance is now much longer.
So why are people still driving at or above posted speed limits?
Is your life not worth a few extra minutes to slow down and drive at a safer speed?
Is the life of my firefighters diverting traffic, the lives of other emergency personnel on scene and maybe just maybe your mother or father, family member, spouse or even your child not worth the extra 5 minutes it's going to take by driving at a speed that's suitable and safe for current road conditions?
How many more innocent people have to die while directing traffic before a lesson is learned?
Why don't people care?
The next time you're behind the wheel ask yourself "what if I"
And what is so cool about pulling back onto the icy highway sideways spinning your tires and fishtailing? You have your driver's licence because you're an adult so ACT LIKE IT!!
Trent Lee
Carlyle, SK
