Dangerous Driving/ Speeding

Fifteen year-old Briana Kowaluk-Noseworthy was on her way to catch the bus to school when she was hit by a truck at a busy intersection in Fort McMurray, Alberta. The speeding gravel truck hit the girl as she was walking through a marked crosswalk with the signal activated for vehicles to stop. She later died in hospital from severe head injuries. The driver of the truck was convicted of dangerous driving in the crash.

Briana, “Breezy” to her loved ones, was just starting a new semester at school that day.  Having been taught how to negotiate busy intersections, she was doing everything right and had crossed that particular street on a daily basis. Although one driver’s reckless actions ended a young life, Briana’s mother is heartened by the fact that her daughter was able to save four strangers’ lives through organ donation. Since the tragedy, her family has been outspoken in advocating for better crosswalk and intersection safety. They want to encourage safer driving by urging motorists to slow down and by sending the message that speed kills.

Speeding: slow down and arrive alive

Transport Canada urges all motorists in every community across the country to rethink the way you drive. Most crashes could be prevented by changes in driver attitude and behaviour. This includes curbing the need for speed.
Here are some suggestions:

• Leave plenty of time for your trip to avoid trying to save time by driving fast.
• Don’t speed!  If you are a passenger, exert pressure on a speeding driver to slow down.
• Reduce speed at night and in bad weather.
• Stay at least three car lengths behind the vehicle in front of you.
• Never run amber/ red lights.
• Give pedestrians the right of way at intersections.
• Don’t weave in and out of traffic.