Dear editor,
As a follow up to my first letter (published in the Review on Feb. 21) regarding the disgusting state of commercial traffic in our mountain passes, there was a frightening accident on the Coquihalla Highway this Sunday night involving two semi trucks, two passenger cars, and two passenger busses. It was snowing. Twenty-two ground and air ambulances were sent to assess at least 70 people. One pregnant woman was airlifted to hospital.
I personally have been sending emails to our provincial transportation minister Claire Trevena for two months. No response whatsoever. I tried to phone. No response.
minister.transportation@gov.bc.ca is the email address for her office.
Marc Garneau is the federal transportation minister, who also ignored the same email for the past two months.
marc.garneau@parl.gc.ca is his email.
I pray to God everyone is OK in this accident. Meanwhile our politicians do nothing more than cross their fingers and hope that nothing “bad” will happen. It really is a miracle a catastrophe has not occurred. For the numerous families that have lost loved ones this year and years past, it has indeed been a catastrophe.
Winter-rated snow tires are absolutely essential to safely travel through mountain passes for all vehicles, and should be mandatory. The speed limits that were raised a couple of years ago need to be turned back and lowered. Commercial trucks should have a lower speed limit than lighter vehicles. The RCMP and CVSE need funding to get out in front of this situation.
How much do our politicians value human life? On a drive last week I encountered over 100 commercial trucks in a one hour time period on the TCH. That seems to be about the average for an hour of travel. That’s a lot of chances for things to go horribly wrong. It’s time all these people we rely on for safe roads and infrastructure rolled up there sleeves. We all need to let them know.
Thank you to all the people working on plows and equipment, all first responders, tow truck drivers and flaggers. It’s dangerous, stressful work you do. And it’s long, long tiring shifts. Be safe.
– Brian Tobin
Revelstoke, B.C.