Editor,
Re: One dead in four-vehicle crash
I'll cut right to the chase. The number of fatalities on the Highway 1 east and west of Revelstoke is atrocious. It is also preventable and infuriating the government and insurance companies are standing by and allowing the private trucking companies to run the show in order to profit while innocent people are dying.
Many accidents are caused by transport trucks driving recklessly and speeding. I can't begin to imagine the cost ICBC pays on these vehicles, but also the cost to rehabilitate the innocent victims of those that survive. The operative word is survive. I am a physiotherapist and know first hand the expense, let alone the trauma, these individuals have to live with the rest of their lives.
One person died east of Revelstoke when a transport truck lost control around a corner and came into the ongoing traffic. The person in the oncoming vehicle was killed. The truck then collided with another transport vehicle and exploded into flames.
A month ago, a mother and father pulled over to help a transport truck that lost control and was stuck at the side of the road. Their children were in the vehicle on their way to Hawaii for a family vacation. Another transport truck came speeding around the corner and killed them both right in front of their children. Those children will live with that image in their minds forever.
These are just two of the thousands of incidents that have happened. We know of course that having a divided highway would, help but somehow these private companies need to be responsible for their own drivers and trucks. They need to be fined if they speed or drive out of control or pass on a double lane or tail gate. If they are fined more than once, then pull their licence or take away their insurance. Install a GPS or a device that measures their speed and sends an alert to ICBC with an automatic penalty. I can't imagine with modern technology that there isn't an easy solution.
How can trucking companies continue to operate without being responsible?
Shendra Kelly, RPT
Revelstoke