On The Road Again

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Now that we have arrived at the much warmer and pleasant days of May, thoughts begin to turn toward cleaning up the yard, opening up the cottage and for some, putting away those 'winter beater' cars in favour of the much nicer, cleaner and attractive summer car that's been hibernating in the garage for the past few months.

Of course this is also the time of year that police officers become more vigilant toward aggressive drivers, in particular those who feel it's time to stretch their wings on roads that are finally free of snow, ice and all that other wintry mess. Couple that with the fact more people use our roadways in the warmer months and traffic accidents tend to become more frequent.

So to combat those bad drivers and ensure our roadways are kept safe and free of menacing motorists, police forces across Canada will participate in Canada's Road Safety Week, a national traffic safety and enforcement initiative that's conducted annually in partnership with Transport Canada.

So what does all that mean?

Beginning May 13 and running through to May 19, all police officers will be on the lookout for violations against provincial and local municipal traffic laws. Here in the GTA, Toronto in particular, strict enforcement action will focus on drinking drivers, pedestrians who endanger themselves, driver inattention, unsafe speeds, red light runners and of course those who continue to drive or ride without wearing a seat-belt.

The goal of this year's campaign is to alter people's driving behaviours through educational programs such as those offered through local automobile clubs, CAA being one, as well as community-oriented organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Heightening awareness to the rules of the road is key to the success of any traffic safety program and for those who don't pay attention to the warnings and the rules, police officers will be equipping themselves with ample quantities of traffic tickets for those who require a stronger message.

Fines will vary depending on the offence and motorists should be aware that in addition to any monetary fine, most moving violations are coupled with the assessment of demerit points.

We should all strive to arrive alive, and altering our driving habits may mean the difference between life and death.

Let's begin the early part of the summer by contributing to the goal of making Canada's roads safer and continue that trend as part of our normal daily routine.