Highway speeds under review

[maryjane48]

On Thursday night, a crash closed the Coquihalla Highway for five hours. Asked about the cause, Jay Shoemaker of VSA Highway Maintenance could point to just one culprit: speed.

“To travel 150 metres once you hit the guardrail and then roll and come to a stop? That's a high rate of speed,” Shoemaker said.

Remarkably, the accident resulted in only minor injuries. One person involved was taken to hospital. The rest were able to walk away from the scene.

Whether the rate or severity of crashes has increased with the speed limit can’t be known until ICBC and RCMP crash data for 2014 is released, but a CTV News investigation in September found that ambulance calls on the Coquihalla had increased by 46 per cent in the three months that the higher speed limit had then been in place, compared to the same three months in 2013.

Reduced speed limits were also among the recommendations made in a Coroners Service report on young drivers deaths released earlier this month.

The Ministry of Transportation defended its increased limits Friday, saying “preliminary findings have shown people are still travelling at nearly the same speeds as they were before the speed limits were increased.”

That’s consistent with what Ian Tootill says should be expected. Tootill is the cofounder of an organization called Sense BC, which advocates for higher speed limits.http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#133468

[okcitizen]

I drive the connector 4 times a week. During the bad weather, the max speed I went was about 110 due the roads being sheer ice. Guys would race by me so fast they were gone in an instant. Now that the weather is better, with the speed limit being 120, I usually go about 128, as the police are out nabbing people. But at 128, people are flying by me, and I mean flying. I'm guessing at at least 160, as they are gone out of my vision within minutes they are going so fast. There is still some ice in areas that are shaded. It's a curvy road. Worries me sometimes when these people are absolutely flying like this.

[simnut]

The Ministry of Transportation defended its increased limits Friday, saying “preliminary findings have shown people are still travelling at nearly the same speeds as they were before the speed limits were increased.”

Perhaps some are still traveling at "nearly" the same speeds as before, but the increased speed limits have the idiots think that they can go faster, and THEY are the ones that will cause the accidents, injuries and deaths to other innocent drivers and passengers.

[Smurf]

I'm betting that the ones, many, who traveled 118 when the limit was a 110 are now travelling 128. They would be going faster if they thought they could get away with it. There will always be the idiots who just plain speed excessively and should not have a licence. However I'll bet that the average individual has raised their speed according to the raise in the limit. I know I have. I drove the limit before and I drive the limit now and if it went up again I probably also would.

[Sige]

Wow, the though of doing 128 freaks me out!!!

[Dizzy1]

Under ideal conditions and proper vehicle condition, doing 128km/h on the Coq with the exception of going down the hill (southbound) and 1 or 2 other tight corners and pretty much the whole stretch of the Connector is not a difficult task.

[simnut]

Under ideal conditions and proper vehicle condition, doing 128km/h on the Coq with the exception of going down the hill (southbound) and 1 or 2 other tight corners and pretty much the whole stretch of the Connector is not a difficult task.

I've seen MANY drivers and vehicles that SHOULDN'T be doing....OR do have difficulty....or don't have the capability to do 128km/h ......period!

[Bsuds]

128kph is 79.5mph and should not be too difficult to do in most cars and if it scares you please get off the road or let someone else drive!

[Sige]

128kph is 79.5mph and should not be too difficult to do in most cars and if it scares you please get off the road or let someone else drive!

No thanks, I'll continue to drive; I'll just keep right :D

[GordonH]

Appears that no matter what the posted maximum speed limit is there will always be drivers exceed it (in both good & bad road conditions).
So what can be done, bigger fines…. loss of driving privileges…. etc…, etc. Oh yes then there is the part "well if no one gets hurt, whats the big deal.
Then why bother having laws at all.


Speed does not kill (you are right), its sudden stop i.e another vehicle, ditch or rock face…. etc…etc

[simnut]

128kph is 79.5mph and should not be too difficult to do in most cars and if it scares you please get off the road or let someone else drive!

It's the OTHER drivers that scare me....I deal with them every day! The 25% that cause distracted driving, or the ones that have had a bit too much to drink........the ones driving a Neon with the ball joints ready to drop......the older drivers that cannot handle the speed....and the list goes on. Sure .....there are vehicles and drivers that can handle the speed.....but they are not the only ones allowed on the road!

[Gixxer]

Slow drivers that impede traffic flow, and left lane hogs should be included in this review.

[Gixxer]

Wow, the though of doing 128 freaks me out!!!

Really so If you where driving on the Coq doing 8kph over the posted speed limit that would freak you out? Are you one of these drivers that prefers the left lane over the right lane?

[simnut]

Slow drivers that impede traffic flow, and left lane hogs should be included in this review.

I get a kick out of people that think highway speeds should be at what THEY can drive it at.......as opposed to what the lowest denominator driver can drive at. By thinking that way, you will ALWAYS have slower traffic.....those that don't do the raised speeds. If you set speeds according to the lower denominator driver......you will have far fewer "slower" vehicles..... ;)

[LTD]

So in your eyes bringing everyone down to lowest denominator is the answer instead of bringing the lowest denominator up to where everyone else is at, seems like backwards thinking to me.