Gina Gregg
Special to the Review
Estimated collision results for British Columbia in 2018:
Fatal: 219
Injured: 48,099
Hospitalized: 219 48,099
Reported collisions: 5,544 244,712
Vulnerable road users:
Motorcycle fatalities: 27
Motorcycle injuries: 27 1,266
Motorcycle crashes: 2,025
Cycle fatalities: 9
Cycle injuries: 1,350
Cycle crashes: 1,603
Pedestrian fatalities: 51
Pedestrian injuries: 2,194
Pedestrian strikes: 2,278
Crash related medical costs : $42,549,420
*data from DrivesmartBC
Humans are fascinating. I know my attention can, and has been, high jacked many times; for instance, a glint of light or that shiny thing I sense in the peripheral.
Our eyes constantly adjust to enhance the subtleties from the background.
As the optometrists Hughes and Cole once wrote, “Whether an object will attract the attention of an observer (road user) is largely determined by that observer.”
There are two types of conspicuity — attention conspicuity and search conspicuity.
| Gina Gregg. (File) |
The first type refers to the possibility that an object will attract the attention of an observer (road user) who is not specifically looking for such an object.
The second type is defined as the characteristics of an object that allow it to be easily and quickly localized if the observer is looking for it.
In 1990, all passenger vehicles were ordered to be equipped with daytime running lights (DRLs) in Canada, making this federal law.
Today, rarely do we see road vehicle without dimmed headlights or amber running lights in the front.
While these front lights have reduced the occurrence of head-on collisions, there is no law requiring vehicles to have DRLs in the rear.
I guess that is because no one has been rear-ended.
Why should we not turn all the lights on while driving? Revelstoke get conspicuous.
We drive in a rain forest: with trees, mountains, big trucks and equipment constantly changing the amount of light we have to see.
We drive from sunny Sicamous, to rain in Revelstoke, and snow on Rogers Pass.
Although it’s daytime, how many of us should have adjusted the lights on our vehicles?
How many even knew what lights were on when we started this trip?
Do we even know how to turn the lights on in our vehicle?
Gina Gregg is knowledgeable, experienced and professionally committed to improving the safety and well-being of the traveling public in and around Revelstoke. As a continual learner, Gina received two college diplomas in her late 30s and is now working here way to a National Construction Safety Officer designation with the BCCSA. She has a green thumb, volunteers at her church and in her community, and enjoys riding her motorcycle on local mountain roads.