Making Our Roads Safer, One Step at a Time
Written by Cassie Licari & Dominique Houle on 17/11/10
Photo by dview.us on Flickr
Sunday, November 21st, 2010 marks World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. A day which honours the lives lost on Canadian roads, as well as around the world. Many Canadians are injured or killed in traffic accidents each year, and a good way to help people of all ages avoid traffic accidents is to raise awareness about some of the trends that are particularly dangerous and costly. Keep reading and you will find information on current and emerging road issues that have been popular on Canadian roads!
“The Fast and the Furious V: Canada”
I am sure we have all seen “The Fast and the Furious” movies, with the overly attractive people driving abnormally fast cars in attempts to cross the finish line first while performing stunts on the road. Some of us may think that the bright lights of Hollywood movies can’t shine on Canadian society, but in fact, street racing is becoming a popular activity for some youth in Canada. While this may be cool in the movies, in reality it is a very dangerous activity that has left some people seriously injured or dead…even those who aren’t involved (like pedestrians and bystanders).
Street racing has only recently been made illegal in Canada. Anyone who harms or kills another person because of street racing or whoever drives dangerously while street racing can face extremely serious legal consequences (Department of Justice).
A Scavenger Hunt… with a Car?
Another growing trend among youth is what is called a “car rally,” and is essentially a scavenger hunt using a car to get around. Youth create teams of 4 or 5 members, and are given a list of tasks or objects to collect (each task is allotted a certain number of points if you complete them; the riskier the task, the more points). Once completed, a task must be documented, often by taking pictures. At the end of the night, all teams count their total number of points. Whatever team has the most points, generally wins a pool of money (the money that each team gave to pay to participate in this activity).
This may sound like a ton of fun to some, but a lot of the tasks on the list are often degrading, dangerous or illegal (for example, streaking, stealing, speeding and being disruptive, among others)…
If caught participating in a car rally, one can face legal consequences depending on the circumstances. To learn more about car rallies, check out this webpage from the Ottawa Police Service.
There will be many more youth trends similar to these that will arise in the future. Being knowledgeable on a topic gives us the ability to weigh the pros and cons involving road safety, and is a good way to determine which activities you want to participate in. In the end, make sure that you are comfortable with what you’re doing. If your instincts lead you to believe that something isn’t right… it most likely isn’t.
What are your thoughts on street racing and car rallies? Is this a current or emerging trend in your community?
Links
RCMP: Traffic Services
CBC News
Road Peace
Ottawa Police Service
World Health Organization
Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators
Transport Canada
Transport Canada: Statistics
