Work zones and the dangers of speeding - Preeceville's Main Street with the Mayor Garth Harris for Thursday Aug 31st, 2017 8:35 am

​

Working Draft for:

Preeceville's Main Street with the Mayor Garth Harris for Thursday Aug 31st, 2017 8:35 am

With GX94's Craig Wallebeck > see him @ http://www.gx94radio.com/craig-Wallebeck


This week we focus on: Work zones and the dangers of speeding

182 motorists caught speeding in work zones during July Traffic Safety Spotlight


July was another busy month for law enforcement as they focused on catching drivers speeding in both municipal and highway work zones. During the monthly Traffic Safety Spotlight, 182 tickets were issued in construction zones, all related to speeding1:
177 tickets for exceeding 60 km/h while passing highway workers or occupied highway equipment within a work zone
5 tickets for speeding in construction zones where a flag person is present

As there are still many road construction projects across the province, SGI reminds motorists to obey speed limits and exercise caution when driving in work zones. If the work zone is signed, drivers must slow to the posted speed limits, regardless of whether workers are present. Base fines for speeding in a construction zone are triple that of a regular speeding ticket.

Other results from July's Traffic Safety Spotlight:
5,514 tickets for speeding or aggressive driving
522 tickets for inappropriate or no seatbelt/child restraint
462 tickets for distracted driving (including 337 for cellphone use)
382 impaired driving offences (including 327 Criminal Code charges)

Follow SGI on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for tips on how to #TakeCareOutThere with other road users.

Learn more about work zones and speeding.

Work zones
Slow down in work zones.

 

Year-round in Saskatchewan there are roads being repaired and maintained. To keep everyone safe, you must follow some important guidelines when you encounter work zones.

Work zones usually have clear signage, with orange signs indicating that you're entering a road construction area and black and white signs for speed.

They should follow a general pattern:
An orange sign that says “Workers Present” indicating there’s a work zone ahead.
A black and white speed sign saying 60 km/h. At this point you are legally required to slow to 60 km/h.
There may be signs or workers indicating you need to slow down further or stop, or about road conditions and hazards you will be driving over.
An “End of Work Area” sign will signal the end of the work zone. It will be followed by a black and white sign indicating the regular speed limit, which you can return to.

Please visit the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure site if you want to know more about work zones.
What if I don't slow down?

Not only are you putting workers, yourself and your vehicle at risk, you could face the following fines:
Fines for speeding when passing workers and/or equipment in work zones
(Section 203 of The Traffic Safety Act)

 

Speed (km/h)	70	80	90	100	110	120
Speed over limit (km/h)	10	20	30	40	50	60
Base fine	$210	$210	$210	$210	$210	$210
Fine up to 30 km/h over limit	$3 x 10 = $30	$3 x 20 = $60	$3 x 30 = $90
Fine if more than 30 km/h over limit				$6 x 40 = $240	$6 x 50 = $300	$6 x 60 = $360
Victims surcharge	$60	$60	$60	$80	$204	$228
Total	$300	$330	$360	$530	$714	$798

Other work zones
 

Work zone signage on municipal roads and in urban areas may differ from the general work zone orange signage you find on highways. However, you are still required to slow to 60 km/h or whatever speed is posted when you enter the work area.
 

Other situations where you must slow to 60 km/h:

• Approaching a law enforcement vehicle or emergency vehicle with its lights flashing.
• When passing Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure machinery or equipment with its lights flashing.
• When passing a tow truck with its amber beacon flashing and it is assisting a vehicle.

The dangers of speeding
The risks of driving too fast.

Many drivers exceed the speed limit or drive too fast for conditions. Driving at an unsafe speed can greatly increase the severity of a crash; the faster your vehicle is moving, the less time you have to react to a potential hazard, and for other drivers to react to you.

As impact speed increases over 80 km/h, the fatality rate for those in the vehicle goes up exponentially. For instance, the chance of being killed in a collision at 80 km/h is 2 times higher than if you were travelling at 64 km/h. When a vehicle crashes at a speed above 80 km/h, the chance of death is more than 50%.

Perception, reaction and stopping

Driver error accounts for the majority of traffic collisions. Most often drivers do not give themselves enough time for a quick response and decisive action.

The average time it takes for a driver to determine that a crash may occur, decide what to do and then do it is 1.5 seconds.

Driving at an unsafe speed reduces the amount of time you have to react and your control over the vehicle - increasing both the risk and severity of a crash.

Speeding also significantly increases the stopping distance of a vehicle. As your speed doubles, your stopping distance increases 4 times. If your speed triples, your stopping distance increases 9 times.

By reducing your speed, you give yourself more ways to find an alternative course of action and more time to react in order to avoid a potential collision. Even driving 10 km/h slower can make the difference between a close call and a fatal collision.

Speeding and road conditions

The posted speed limit is the recommended speed for ideal weather conditions. If the road surface is wet, snowy or icy, or visibility is reduced by fog or blowing snow, reduce your speed accordingly. Your safety depends on it. You can be fined if you are driving too fast for road conditions.

Speeding and pedestrian safety

The faster you go, the harder you'll hit someone. In most cases, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle travelling at 40 km/h or less survives, while most pedestrians struck by a vehicle travelling at 60 km/h or more die.

Over the years, it was quite common to suggest that a pedestrian was “run over” by a vehicle. Research indicates that pedestrians are actually “run under” a vehicle. The injuries that are sustained after being thrown to the road are not as serious as a person's first impact with a vehicle. The main cause of injuries to the legs and head of pedestrians are a vehicle's bumper and upper surface.
Speeding and the law

Drivers in Saskatchewan face a number of fines and charges for speeding. Drivers are also assessed demerit points under the Safe Driver Recognition program for different speed-related offences.

The Traffic Safety Act speeding offences:
driving in excess of the maximum speed indicated by signs on the highway or at the park entrance
driving in excess of 35 to 49 km/h over the speed limit
driving in excess of 50 km/h over the speed limit
driving at least twice the applicable speed limit
exceeding a speed that is reasonable and safe in the circumstances
exceeding the speed limit in a school zone
exceeding 60 km/h when passing a stopped emergency vehicle, highway worker, flag person, snowplow, tow truck or highway equipment with warning lights on

Fines for these specific offences range from $70 to $210, with a per kilometre rate assessed for each kilometre in excess of the speed limit.
Demerit points

As part of the Safe Driver Recognition program, demerit points are assessed for unsafe driving.

The number of demerit points assessed depends on how much the unsafe behaviour contributes to collisions.

"Keep yourself safe by knowing and following the law. We can all do better"

 

- Town of Preeceville Official Community Plan

The Town is initiating a planning review project to adopt a New Official Community Plan and a New Zoning Bylaw to better guide development within our community. The Town’s Zoning Bylaw is outdated and does not reflect the changing needs of the Town and provides almost no direction on growth. In order to update the Zoning Bylaw, the Provincial Government requires the Town to adopt an Official Community Plan. The benefit of having an overall plan with “Action” items will assist Council in planning cost effective infrastructure and balancing residential, commercial, recreational and industrial development. Town Council has engaged Tim Cheesman, M.C.I.P. and his Planning Team to prepare the Plan and Bylaw.
The Planning Team has completed the Town’s Draft Official Community Plan. The Draft OCP and the Results of the Public Consultation Process are available for viewing by clicking the links below:
Town of Preeceville Draft Official Community Plan about 73 pages
Preeceville Public Consultation Responses about 35 pages
You may provide your feedback/comments on the Draft OCP by emailing tcheesman@accesscomm.ca or  preeceville@sasktel.net.
        

Events:

 - Ongoing
- Preeceville & District Lions Club Chase the Ace Jack-Pot is now at a
  $14,885.00  31 cards left in the deck
Draws every Thursday night.
Watch their Ad's.   Follow the ACE on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/PreecevilleChaseTheAce/


 - The fall registration night is being planned for September 12th

- And as always if you wish to have an event promoted visit and post it to our Community Events Calendar at www.townofPreeceville.ca


Follow the Mayor on the town site at http://www.townofpreeceville.ca/default.aspx?page=65&cid=6 follow me on blogspot at http://mayorharris.blogspot.ca/

follow me on facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/mayorgarthharrisfollow me on twitter @https://twitter.com/MayorGartharris

follow me on google+ @ https://plus.google.com/u/0/102741942183606627948?tab=wX#102741942183606627948/posts

follow me on youtube @https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKyA9eN2gdku8lGSo0WPRWw follow me on instagram @ http://instagram.com/garthrharris