i RCMP >MP focus on drivers this ‘spring | By MARGARET SPEIRS LOCAL MOTORISTS need to slow down and drive with © courtesy and attention, especially in May when highway patrol officers will be out keeping an eye on aggressive - drivers.: .. Area police will be less tolerant of aggressive driving, . defined as “anything not normal” along with the ‘usual seat-’ belt and impaired driving checks, according to Const. Mike Lavric, who's heading uprthe month- -long aggressive driving campai gn. - While aggressive driving is ‘usually defined as driving 40 anh or more over the limit, Lavric says “speeding is speed- ing’ * and aggressive driving includes failing to stop‘at stop signs, cutting off other vehicles and following too closely. Highway patrol officers will watch Hwy37 North and South, Kitimat, Terrace, Prince Rupert and the Hazeltons - and will work closely with detachments in these areas, he says. The campaign kicks off the beginning of summer with the goal of ensuring everyone has a safe season, says Lavric. “I'd rather write 100 tickets than spend 20 hours writing 2 a’ ~ document because someone gets killed,” he said. Two other campaigns will take place at the same time. ‘ An occupant restraint campaign, focusing mainly on seat- belt usage, will cover the province plus Washington and Or-. | egon from May 15 to June 3. . National Road.Safety Week goes from May 16 'to 22 and " involves the enforcement of seat-belts, impaired driving and intersection violations. While police ready for their upcoming. campaigns, Ter- race area drivers have so far marked a new high in the num- ber of days without a highway fatality. Sgt. Don Murray of the local highway patrol said 176 days passed as of April 13 without any traffic deaths in the patrol area covering’10 RCMP detachments from the Queen Charlotte Islands east to Kitwanga and north to Dease Lake ‘cand Atlin 2 “I think our efforts are starting to pay off and give some credit to the public, I think they’re Starting to pay, a little ‘More notice to putting seat-belts on,” said Murray, adding ~ ‘that even one motor vehicle death-is too many. — . If the trend continues, today, April 19, will be exactly six months of accident-free days. a “That would be deluxe,” said Murray. In 2005, six motorists died on northwest B.C. roads and _ in five of those deaths, seat-belts weren’t worn. If the occu-. : pants of those vehicles had ‘buckled Up, maybe they would still be alive, said Murray. The previous year saw eight fa- , talities on area roads. Murray would like to see no one die on local 1 highways. - “Maybe that’s utopia but that’s the ideal situation,” he said. Hwy37 South has been updated with new pavement, rumble strips and pullouts that have made driving safer for motorists, Murray added. Lately, a number of local drivers have struck moose on the “highways, resulting in’ ‘injuries’ to"them. and death’ for’ - the animals. Murray advises motorists that-moose, deer and . other animals are nocturnal and tend to feed or be- around roadways in the early morning hours and the early evening. Ree eco rena SGT. DON MURRAY, left, and Const. Mike Lavric show off the new highway patrol 1 Highway cops settle into. larger \ work space HIGHWAY: PATROL officers now have a bigger and better office. - Formerly. located in'a small room at the back of the’ Terrace RCMP. building, the highway patrol now occupies . the space vacated by dispatch operators and equipment moved to a centralized communi- cations centre in Prince George last year. The room includes a main office area for ‘the six constables, plus separate offices for highway patrol head Sgt. Don Murray and collision reconstructionist Dave Domoney, we ame office at the local RCMP detachment April 5. MARGARET SPEIRS PHOTO & The office now has room for a map that shows the 1,566km of roadways in the-high- | way patrol area, stretching from.Dease Lake down to Terrace and westward'to the Queen — Charlotte Islands anda cork board to‘display ~ * the list of upcoming highway. patrol cam- paigns and the total number of days without — ‘any highway fatalities. Two separate cubicles have room for four officers to be seated and working at comput- ers at one time, which is about the maximum number in the office at any one time, said detachment ‘giving thenaimuch. more functional, ergo! Murray -nomic work space}said Murray. ~ Highway patrol“officéts made the move ‘ . in mid-February. Mais vo 'The- regional: major: crime: unit ‘will take” ‘over’ the ‘highway: patrol’s former office “ _ Space. The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - A3 News In Brief Driver charged after motorcyclist injured ‘A LOCAL man was charged for making a U- turn in a business district after his driving led to a collision, between a motorcycle and another vehicle. - The 59-year-old driver cut off a 39- -yéar-old motor- cycle rider, who swerved to avoid him, crashed into.a parked car and fell to the pavement at 4614 Greig Ave. around 2:10 p.m. April 3. "The motorcyclist was treated for minor injuries to his leg at hospital and later released. Education minister. accepts invite to visit SKEENA NDP MLA Robin Austin says ‘he’s happy education minister Shirley Bond has agreed to visit School District 82 _to see how the ministry’s financing | formula . “is ‘ “affecting students and _parentshere: Austin " extended’ the invitation to. Bond dur- .. _ing the legislative debate on her ministry’s budget " estimates. “Geographically, this* Shirley Bond : is one of the largest districts i in the province, and you really need to see it, spend some time there, and meet’ ~ with the people to really understand the full range of | - issues,” said Austin in the legislature. | « ' “The minister keeps calling the- four-day school week a ‘choice,’” Austin said. “She should spend some | time with parents: and find out what an unpalatable ‘choice it is.” : There are just three school districts in the province. using the four-day school week and Austin says they are each in remote areas and all made the decision based on, a way to save money. . “T don’t: think the: government has an 1 understand- . ing of how detrimental this is to: many families,” said Austin. “And how most of the families who are under ~ these circumstances feel that their children are getting a ‘second-class education in a province which is booming _economically and has:a $1. 3 billion surplus.” ws - Motorist loses control © A , LOCAL driver crashed intoa median at the four-way “ stop just.outside of town March 31. : ° While heading eastbound on Hwy’ 16, ‘hie lost control : of his car while attempting to turn south onto Hwy 37.. The vehicle slid -up onto the median and struck a light standard, police say. ‘The driver went to Mills Memorial Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and released. - — Police did not say if speed was a factor in the ac- “cident but did report that the’ driver indicated there was : ‘loose gravel on the road. ra | Finally, you can Making nen:tyy fod choce w. a] A - trust him to do the sae ; Tha hear Check, syne grocery shopping a precuct Tees rut for Bag ky Satin be caatlenging, Thats why bre Heat and Stray arograr GREAT SELECTION OF HIKING BOOTS, SANDALS AND WALKING SHOES! eKEEN, TEVA SANDALS °SCARPA, LOWA, ASOLO __—isyT eHIKING POLES, PACKS, SOCKS ~ For more information, visit www.healthcheck.org ‘or call the Heart and Stroke Foundation at 1-868. HSF-INFO Health Check”... tel you saben ie forte unde on tells vou 635-6703 MON-SAT 9-5 4617 Lakelse Ave., Terrace