by Larry Law A recent article about Powell River residents speeding in the Cranberry area is only scratching the surface.
Speeding and distracted driving is a concern in all areas of Powell River. Why is everyone is in such a big hurry in a small town? Why must they have a cell phone pressed against their ear?
How are we going to attract new business to set up here? How are we going to attract new people to purchase a home here and enjoy a lifestyle of tranquility and beauty when some residents are driving around with cell phones glued to their heads?
Politicians at all levels of government seem to take the easy way out. Talking about the issues is always good, but the act of actually putting those ideas to work is missing. The general public everywhere, not just here in Powell River, do what they want, when they want, because they know there is no consequence to their actions while driving distracted, impaired or by speeding. They just get a slap on the wrist.
The only way this can be controlled is by having severe penalties—distracted driving: automatic $5,000 fine, car and cell phone impounded for 90 days; impaired driving: automatic one year in prison, $10,000 fine; speeding: $500 fine for every 10 kilometres over the posted limit.
If we do not hit violators with a severe penalty, they will not learn and will continue to break the law.
Ontario has recently increased the penalty for distracted drivers to a minimum $500, maximum $1,000 fine, plus three demerit points on the licence. Here is the article.
Our attorney general for BC grins as she talks about how great a step it is to increase the penalty by a few points. What is it going to take to get government to take action? If ICBC claims were to drop 75 per cent, our car insurance would be really cheap, medical premiums would drop because the cost of treating severely injured people would be less, medical professionals would have more money and time to treat illness instead of injures caused by somebody driving while talking on a cell phone and the list of benefits goes on.
I can only hope that those who speed, use cell phones while driving and those who drink and drive will be the root cause of governments of all levels some day waking up and changing the laws in order to protect those who do abide by the rules and provide a safe and secure place for people to live. When that happens, the people who caused the drastic changes will have absolutely nothing to complain about because they brought it on.
I really hope our local government reduces the speed limit in Powell River to 40 kilometres per hour on all streets except the main arteries. If anyone does not like this, then put the cell phones away, slow down, stop at stop signs, and obey the rules of the road. We have nobody to blame but ourselves.
Larry Law is a resident of Powell River.
