HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1979-08-22, Page 4Page 4--.I Imew Sentinel, Wednewia), August 22, 1979
Huron. police battle accident increase
BY JEFF SEDDON
The .Huron County detachments of the
Ontario. Provincial Police released some
alarming statistics this week showing traffic
accidents, liquor seizures and in some areas
traffic deaths increased dramatically in 1979.
The four detachments in the county
released figures August 14 which indicate
liijuor seizures increased nearly 30 per cent
this year while traffic accidents increased
about 10 per cent and fatalities increased 25
per cent.
Constable Bill Wilson, community rela-
tions officer with the Goderich .OPP detach-
ment, said Tuesday the police and the courts
are initiating several plans to try .to combat
the problem. Wilson said OPP officers will
be making more use of radar on county and
provincial highways while the courts . have
increased fines for liquor offenses and
speeding.
Wilson said the increased radar enfore-
ment and steeper fines serve a dual purpose.
Police hope to discourage people from
risking their lives by mixing drinking and
driving and also, want people that don't mix
the two to be able to drive in relative safety.
Council Briefs
Council appointed councillor Ab Murray to
be their representative on the Citizens'
Action , Committee which is working to
maintain the present level of health care at
Wingham and District Hospital. The com-
mittee is supporting the hospital board of
governors in their fight to stop bed closures
at the hospital and is currently collecting
signatures from the public to assess
community support for the hospitals's stand.
t t t t t
Council has sent a fetter to the Bruce
County Highway Committee requesting that
the part of Bruce County Road 1'which.lies in
the village be incorporated in a needs study
for reconstruction in 1980.
t t t t t
The . tender ' of Symes Construction,
Lucknow, was accepted to clean and level
the debris in the new village parking lot
behind Campbell Street at the corner of Ross
Street. The tender also calls for gravelling
the parking lot. The tender quoted a cost of
$1,200 and was the lowest tender submitted.
t t t t t'
Reeve GeorgeJoynt told council new
sidewalks will be laid along Outram Street
from Gough to 'Wheeler next year. The
sidewalks are sitting above the pavement
level, because the grain of the road was
changed when it was reconstructed this
summer. A 50 per cent subsidy should be
applicable on the portion of the sidewalk
construction between Gough and Rose and a
portion of the 50 per cent should be subsidy
on the sidewalks constructed between Ham-
ilton and Rose.
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Of the four county detachments Goderich
and Wingham 'show the most dramatic
increases in liquor offenses and. accidents.
From January to July of 1978 Goderich
officers issued 162 liquor violations while in
1979 that number increased to 189. In
Wingham the 1978 figure was 123 and
jumped to 250 in one year, an increase of
over 100 per cent.
Goderich detachments investigated 175
accidents in thefirst seven months of 1978
,and in the same period in 1979 were called to
215 accidents. Wingham officers dealt with
133 accidents last year and this year have
responded to 164.
Accidents in the Exeter and • Seaforth
patrol area increased very little in the past
year but liquor seizures are. up. Exeter had
127 Last year and this year has 140. Seaforth,
a one man detachment, had five seizures last
year and this year doubled that to 10.
The most tragic statistic is highway
deaths. Last year Goderich had six in its, area
and this year it has had nine. Exeter had
three in 1978 and this year has two, Seaforth
had none last year and has had one this year
and Wingham had three both years.
The total number of people that lost their
lives in highway accidents is 15 in 1979, up
three from last year. And police are
concerned that if the practice of drinking,
driving and speeding are not curtailed there
will be more.
Constable Wilson pointed out that approx-
imately half of the fatal accidents are single
car. The vehicles have gone off the road,
rolled or struck something and the driver of
passenger was killed.
Police point to several habits drivers have
that result in serious accident. Many county
highways are gravel surface and drivers use
excessive speed, are inexperienced drivers,
don't pay enough attention to their driving.
orare under the influence of alcohol when
they end their lives.
Some of the most common reasons for
multi -car accidents are following too close,
improper turns and failing to stopwhere
required.
As an example of the heavy fines the
courts hope will curb the problem Wilson
explained that if a person had open beer in
their car and was driving 120 knnb in an 80
kmhzone the fine would be $104 for, the
liquor plus $103 for speeding and six demerit
points. •
NOTICE
17
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