skidmark
02-09-2006, 08:57 AM
Patrolling Intersections
We would like to know why intersections are not patrolled as often as highways. Looking at the propensity of drivers to run yellow and red lights, it appears to us that intersections pose a much greater and possibly deadlier risk than speeding on a straight stretch of highway. This reader is certainly correct on one point, intersections are one of the deadliest places on B.C. highways. Whether they are patrolled or not is another question.
The last time I saw statistics, more than half of the collisions in B.C. were occurring in intersections. Since these collisions tend to be what is popularly known as a T-bone, they produce higher rates of injury and death. When another vehicle hits you in the driver or passenger door, there is very little structure there to provide you with any protection. Although side airbags help, many vehicles lack these safety devices.
The RCMP in B.C. is about three years into the implementation of the Traffic Services Management Information Tool (TSMIT) to guide the enforcement practices of the group formerly known as highway patrol, or those officers responsible for enforcement activities on numbered highways outside of municipal boundaries. In addition, Integrated Road Safety Units (IRSU) are currently being formed around the province to focus solely on traffic law enforcement. TSMIT will be used to guide enforcement activities according to the locations and behaviours that are causing collisions.
TSMIT is in the process of being introduced to what used to be known as RCMP municipal traffic units. The information needed to provide location information for data entry has been more expensive and more complicated to integrate into the tool. Once completed, the same guiding principles will apply to traffic enforcement within municipal boundaries as well.
So, is intersection enforcement lacking, does TSMIT tell officers to focus elsewhere in this reader's location, or are the police being lax about what they should be doing? This is a question that I cannot answer. However, since the RCMP or municipal forces are employed by you to do this work, there is no reason that you cannot ask if you feel the resources are not being used properly. Take your pen in hand and request and explanation, they are accountable to you.
Reference links that complement this column are available at http://members.shaw.ca/behind.the.wheel/current.htm
We would like to know why intersections are not patrolled as often as highways. Looking at the propensity of drivers to run yellow and red lights, it appears to us that intersections pose a much greater and possibly deadlier risk than speeding on a straight stretch of highway. This reader is certainly correct on one point, intersections are one of the deadliest places on B.C. highways. Whether they are patrolled or not is another question.
The last time I saw statistics, more than half of the collisions in B.C. were occurring in intersections. Since these collisions tend to be what is popularly known as a T-bone, they produce higher rates of injury and death. When another vehicle hits you in the driver or passenger door, there is very little structure there to provide you with any protection. Although side airbags help, many vehicles lack these safety devices.
The RCMP in B.C. is about three years into the implementation of the Traffic Services Management Information Tool (TSMIT) to guide the enforcement practices of the group formerly known as highway patrol, or those officers responsible for enforcement activities on numbered highways outside of municipal boundaries. In addition, Integrated Road Safety Units (IRSU) are currently being formed around the province to focus solely on traffic law enforcement. TSMIT will be used to guide enforcement activities according to the locations and behaviours that are causing collisions.
TSMIT is in the process of being introduced to what used to be known as RCMP municipal traffic units. The information needed to provide location information for data entry has been more expensive and more complicated to integrate into the tool. Once completed, the same guiding principles will apply to traffic enforcement within municipal boundaries as well.
So, is intersection enforcement lacking, does TSMIT tell officers to focus elsewhere in this reader's location, or are the police being lax about what they should be doing? This is a question that I cannot answer. However, since the RCMP or municipal forces are employed by you to do this work, there is no reason that you cannot ask if you feel the resources are not being used properly. Take your pen in hand and request and explanation, they are accountable to you.
Reference links that complement this column are available at http://members.shaw.ca/behind.the.wheel/current.htm