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Even the shortest drives can be the most dangerous

Considering how many times I feel I’ve nearly died after pulling away from my home I just have to nod sympathetically when I see the RCMP are trying to raise awareness of seatbelt laws.

Considering how many times I feel I’ve nearly died after pulling away from my home I just have to nod sympathetically when I see the RCMP are trying to raise awareness of seatbelt laws.

Being the driving nerd that I am I’ll almost always put a seatbelt on regardless of whether the vehicle is moving or not. I’ll feel naked without it.

I also shake my head judgmentally when I hear Cst. Mosley telling me what excuses he gets from people. “I just pulled from the driveway,” or “I’m just going down the street.”

Here’s what I go through leaving my home. I pulled out of my apartment’s parking area and head down 16th Avenue to Highway 16. On the way I pass by Frontage Road, which is broken by a two-way stop. In this scenario, I have the right of way.

Many times people have appeared to be under the impression that I also have a stop sign and continued on their way, putting a, how shall I say, brake on my commute.

So there’s my own reason for wearing a seatbelt.

The short-distance of a drive is also an excuse that holds little weight. A few weeks ago in our Police Beat section we ran a brief on a pick-up truck that struck another at 2nd Avenue and King Street.

I happened to be in a car behind the vehicle that was struck when it happened. Thankfully it wasn’t anything more major than it was — the drivers more shook up than banged up — but it remains another example of how things can go wrong so quickly.

I know I’ve been told by people in the past that driving in town is actually more dangerous than out of town. You have more vehicles in smaller areas making their way through more intersections.

This week and in the coming weeks, especially in light of the children going back to school, thinking a bit more about safety on the road is certainly warranted. Keep yourself safe and make the right choices.