RCMP Staff Sgt. Jerry Nutbrown brings you behind the scenes with a serious of columns taking you behind police work and how it’s done in our community. If you have a question you think needs to be answered in Behind the Bison, send it to admin@borderpulse.ca and we will be sure to share it with him.
In the policing world, one or more vehicles trying to occupy the same space as another object is called a
collision. Although it would meet the definition of an accident, which is defined as an unexpected and
undesirable event especially one resulting in damage or harm, I would challenge the unexpected aspect.
An accident is more likened to knocking over a saltshaker spilling salt or walking around the corner of a
building and bumping into someone. While being involved in a collision is not desirable, it can be a
stretch to say it was unexpected by a driver at fault. Therefore, doing something contrary to driving laws
and becoming involved in a collision should be, well, expected.
Lloydminster sees a high number of vehicle collisions in which virtually all are preventable. Anyone
driving around Lloydminster will most likely see traffic infractions being committed within a couple
blocks of departing their location. As echoed to the Chamber of Commerce by Insp. Brian Nicholl, the
most common complaint he continues to hear about is traffic.
I would find it hard to believe that most readers would say they have never broken a traffic law or have
never observed others doing it. No need to look any further than being stopped at a red light and seeing
some drivers immediately look down because they are using their phones.
People are required to pass exams to be able to drive without supervision so there is no wiggle room for
excuses in breaking traffic laws. This then lends to drivers willingly breaking the law or doing something
(ie. distracted driving) that causes driving offenses to occur.
It is difficult attending fatal collision scenes where a 21-year nursing student is killed because a driver
was distracted or a 6-year-old is killed because dad was distracted. It was attending these types of
collisions that made distracted driving such a priority for me when I was a general duty officer. How are
these even explained because they are easily preventable?
Trying to get somewhere in the city quicker than traffic laws allow won’t save anyone but a minute, if
that, but it will put the driver and other motorists/pedestrians at unnecessary risk. Running a yellow/red
light only to get to the next red light is of no benefit. Checking your messages while driving just shows a
lack of self control and a willingness to put other motorists and pedestrians at risk.
There are a lot of violation tickets being issued by the local detachment officers because there are a lot
of drivers willing to contravene traffic safety laws, and yes this includes glazing.
While collisions aren’t typically an intentional action taken by drivers, it is hard to believe that a collision
is unexpected when drivers significantly increase their risk of collisions by exhibiting a lack of control
over their driving. A driver committing numerous offenses within a block or two should consider their
involvement in a collision to be an expected outcome.
Harsh words, maybe, because it is often injurious or deadly.
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