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Drivers need to chill for Aggressive Driving Month

With ice clearing off of most roadways at this point people may feel safe to put the pedal to the metal.

However the North District West Traffic Services branch of the RCMP are going to be wagging their fingers — and flaunting their ticket books — at drivers who don’t know how to chill.

May is Aggressive Driving Month and police will be out in force to target drivers who behave badly for the road.

RCMP Cst. Trevor Mack said that aggressive driving is one of the top three highway safety concerns. It shares the mantle with impaired driving and not using seatbelts.

Aggressive driving is a contributing factor in about one-third of all collisions and two-thirds of traffic fatalities, he said.

Aggressive driving behaviour includes speeding, tailgating, rolling through stop signs, and unsafe lane changes, among other actions.

Tips for reducing aggressive driving include giving yourself extra time to get places and counting to 20 if you do get angry.

According to statistics from ICBC, over a five year average from 2005 to 2009, there were 17,100 incidents involving high-risk driving. The number dropped in 2009 over 2008 to 11,900, from 14,700.

High-risk driving includes failing to yield, following too closely and ignoring traffic signs.

Incidents of excessive speeding will net tickets of $483. Non-excessive speeding starts at $138.

Following too closely, unsafe passing and failing to yield are all a $109 fine. Failing to stop at stop signs or traffic lights is a $167 ticket.

Reports of unsafe driving can be made by calling the local police detachment — Smithers’ number is 250-847-3233.