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Home My WebLink AboutClinton News-Record, 1986-10-29, Page 25The 1985 road accident report From the Ontario Safety League There is some good news and some bad news in the 1985 Ontario Road Safety Annual Report, recently released by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. The good news is that motorcycle fatalities fell by 12:6 per cent and bicycle fatalities dropped from 50 in 1984 to 43 in 1985. There was also a decrease in the total number of motor vehicle accidents, although that is probably due to a change in the reporting criteria for property -damage only accidents. A disturbing increase is shown in the number of vehicle accident -related fatalities. Specifically, 603 drivers and 357 passengers were killed last year,.against 460 and 282, respectively, through 1984. In total, 1,191 people were killed last year on Ontario's roads and highways, with another 109,169 injured. For the first time since it began publishing accident statistics, the Ministry has included comments on past and future trends as well as emerging issues. Young Drivers Young and inexperienced drivers remain a concern to those responsible for accident prevention. Drivers 16 to 19 years of age are over -represented in accidents relative to their numbers in the total driver population. Whether this over -representation is the result of less skill and experience or because of attitudes which lead to more risk-taking is widely debated. Additional factors weighing against young drivers are that they do a greater proportion of their driv- ing in the more hazardous nighttime and weekend periods than other drivers; they often carry large numbers of potentially distracting passengers; and they are more likely to be driving vulnerable vehicles, i.e. motorcycles. The scenario of a nighttime accident involving a young, drinking driver going too fast and crashing- with a vehicle full of passengers is repeated too often each year. Male And Female Drivers Although today most women as well as most men obtain their driver's licence and more women are making active use of that licence, male drivers still predominate in accidents. Males make up 56 per cent of the driver population but represent 72.9 per cent of all drivers involved in accidents and 81.9 per cent of the drivers in fatal accidents. Driver Action Speeding and failing to yield the right-of- way remain the most frequently noted er- rors committed by drivers involved in' all accidents and particularly in serious ac- cidents. Speeding is also the most frequently recorded Highvgay Traffic Act offence. Driver Condition By far the largest single factor con- tributing to traffic accidents is alcohol abuse. Approximately half the drivers killed each year had been drinking. However, in recent years some indications of improve- ment have appeared. For the past two years slightly more of the drivers, killed were reported "normal" than were alcohol in- volved. In addition, examinations of the drivers killed in December -January have shown a sharp decline in alcohol involve- ment starting in 1983/84. Most drink- ing/driving occurs in the summer months, however, and there is much room :lor improvement. Old Drivers There has been concern expressed about the aging of Ontario's population and the potential effects on highway safety. Projec- tions regarding the numbers of elderly per- sons who will continue to drive suggest that this group should receive long term atten- tion in highway safety research. One issue is the definition of "elderly" for highway safe- ty purposes. Older drivers do seem to be over -represented in accidents but only in the late 70s and older age groups. Pedestrians Pedestrian safety , programs are often directed only at young pedestrians. However, there are really three groups of accidents -involved pedestrians, each with its own characteristics. Young pedestrians run into traffic without looking or come from behind parked cars. Pedestrians in the 16 to 65 age group frequently had been drink- ing prior to accidents. In 1985, 28.6 per cent of all pedestrians killed were alcohol involv- ed. Research on pedestrians who had been drinking has shown that they have blood alcohol concentrations substantially higher than the BAC usually found in drinking drivers. Lastly, elderly pedestrians also s from aroun Safety brief Germany: An illegally parked tourist in Munich found.an unusual parking ticket on his rented car. Printed in several languages, it read: Dear Guest: the City of Munich, famous for hospitality... is happy to welcome you among its many visitors. Unfortunately, you have violated one of our necessaryparking regulations. We are sure that you, as a guest, are not aware of this violation. So no ticket is issued. To help us regulate traffic... we ask you to observe parking regulations in the future. We extend to you our wishes for an enjoyable and pleasant stay in our beautiful city. Hawaii: In an effort to reduce traffic congestion, state officials are considering a proposal to charge Oahu motorists 10 cents a mile for driving during the rush hour. Electronic equipment at the island's most -congested locations would monitor driver's accounts — billing them on a monthly basis. *** Moscow: Soviet inventors have built a car which walks on steel legs for use in rugged, isolated areas of the country. Give your radiator some real. GUTS! RADIATOR CORE FALL SPECIAL! • Higher coolant flow •thru 28% mere tubes • Additlonai rows of fins offer greater copper con- tact 3/8" high fins - Make for a more rigid core *Lifetime Guarantee 'Flush With Wynn's Power FIUsh Machine ' COOLING SYSTEM' thniway ffi muercen tre $1,095 • plus chemicals 191 Walnut St., Goderick 524-4200 Page 3 h form a significantly different group, perhaps because they may be physically less agile and because they are more likely to die when injured. The Vehicle Compared to other classes of vehicles, passenger vehicles are over -represented in all accidents. While passenger vehicles make up approximately two-thirds of the ac- tive Ontario vehicle population, they repre- sent 75 per cent of all vehicles involved in accidents. In 93 per cent of all accidents, the vehicles involved had no apparent defects. The Accident Fatal accidents occur most frequently during the summer months and between the hours, of 6 p.m. and midnight. In nearly 75 per cent of all the accidents, visibility was good. Fatal accidents are more likely to occur on provincial highways and injury accidents on municipal roads. For all accident classes, the -road surface was most com- monly dry. li d t t e world Using ordinary wheels on paved roads, the car's hydraulic legs are extended for the vehicle's fotays off the beaten track. * * * China: According to a police survey, some 25,000 bicyclists an hour pass through one of Beijing's busiest intersections. Only a small fraction of the estimated one million bicycles on China's roads. Remember lastwinter'?► Don't get caught in the cold this year. Give your car the tune -u• it needsyR Winterize Your Car Now!!! O Battery Cables and Connections OBrakes !]Tune -lips ❑AII Fluid Levels (Anti -Freeze) ❑ Heater Hoses, etc. Licenced Mechanic on Staff. • TIRES, IN STOCK: •Goodyeer All -Season •Kelly' Springfield. All - Season !Fibreglass Summer Radials.+,Winter Tires oPrent Farm and Implement Tir*s. 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