Truckers driving through Salmon Arm are under scrutiny following a collision on Jan. 18 that resulted in the death of a baby.
On Friday, Jan. 27, two Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) units were in town, watching out for commercial vehicles being driven unsafely.
“We had heard there had been some issues out there,” said Glenn Taylor, CVSE manager for the Thompson Nicola District, noting Salmon Arm is not actually in their area of responsibility. “We thought we’d go out there and try and make a difference in commercial drivers’ behaviour.”
Taylor said they’re looking for any violations.
“We’re looking at basically everything but mostly dangerous moving violations… We’re committed to try and make a difference out there and change their behaviour. They need to get the message.”
He said when they hear of more than one event in the same area, they try to take action, despite having few staff for a large area.
In this case, there was the Jan. 18 rear-end collision involving a semi and two passenger vehicles at Ross Street and the Trans-Canada Highway, as well as a Dec. 24 video captured by the Barley Station Brew Pub that shows a semi running a red light on the highway and running into a Transit bus crossing at Shuswap Street.
“We’re going to continue to do this until we see an improvement in behaviour of drivers,” Taylor said.
Along with the two CVSE units, which are a division of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, he said RCMP out of Revelstoke have been carrying out night patrols.
He said it’s good for enforcement when commercial vehicle drivers start expecting patrols.
“That’s actually good for us – if they get on the radio and tell each other about an event going on. They actually start to police themselves.”
He adds that it’s only a few of the truck drivers on the road who drive dangerously.
“Most of the truck drivers on the road, they act like professionals.”
Told that speed reader boards have been suggested to slow drivers through town, he said they work but can lose their effectiveness over time. However, if other drivers can see a speeder’s speed, that often will slow them down, he adds.
Mayor Nancy Cooper said she also spoke with the ministry of transportation as well as Ingrid Brakop, ICBC Road Safety Coordinator on Jan. 26.
Cooper reported that Brakop referred to the independent traffic study conducted by ISL Engineering in 2013 and “advised that it should be revisited by the city. She felt that this should be referred to the Traffic Safety Committee for recommendations and that 2014-2016 ICBC data is available and should also be considered.”
As well, Brakop said a red light camera is not a solution.
“She believes that the Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement Unit needs to be out as much as possible and suggested that signage be installed before the city limits, similar to Sicamous,” reported Cooper.