6936 replies to this topic

[pontcanna]

One driver injured, two vehicles ‘a total loss’ after collision in Metchosin

 

November 5, 2022

 

A police investigation is underway after a collision in Metchosin left two vehicles badly damaged, including one that landed on its roof in a nearby creek and the other upright against trees.

The crash happened around 3 p.m. on Happy Valley Road near Neild Road and according to tow-truck driver Dave LeQuesne, it was a call he had never experienced before.

West Shore RCMP say one vehicle travelling southbound on Happy Valley lost control and crossed into the oncoming lane, colliding with a northbound driver.

“It was raining very hard at the time, and that corner is known for vehicles to go off-road into the creek,” LeQuesne said.

Both drivers exited their vehicles and while one declined medical treatment from paramedics, the other was taken to hospital with minor injuries, RCMP say.

“The silver car was completely submerged upside down, it could have had a very different story if the person had become trapped. He was completely submerged upside down in the centre of the creek. The other car, the yellow car, was propped up against the trees standing upright.”

 

More: https://www.cheknews...chosin-1112598/

 

[pontcanna]

IMPAIRED OPERATOR DRIVES OFF CLIFF

December 9, 2022 - Saanich File #22-23332

The driver of an RV drove off an embankment this morning but was saved from falling all the way down when it struck a large tree.

 

 
 

On Friday December 9, 2022 just after 10:30 am officers responded to a report that an RV had driven off a cliff in the 1400 block of Charlton Road. The driver was believed to have suffered only minor injuries but was suspected of being impaired.

Officers attended and located the driver near the vehicle. He subsequently failed a roadside breath test and was issued a 90-day immediate driving prohibition. The RV, which required a careful retrieval by a local towing company, was impounded for 30 days.

The driver was fortunate that a large tree stopped the RV from falling further down the cliff, which would have likely resulted in more serious injuries.

Cst. Markus Anastasiades
Public Information & Communications Officer

 

 

 

[sebberry]

So do you get to live in the tow yard when they impound your home for a month? 

[Matt R.]

Got to work this afternoon and some yahoo decided that he was fed up with all the cars that are forced to park on the road when the ferry lot is full, so he parked in a weird way in the ferry lot to block cars from entering (not really), then came inside for a bite to eat and a hot beverage while looking out the window and admiring his carnage. Really, no big deal and it just forced even more people to park on the road.

When asked what he was hoping to accomplish he flipped out and left.

[Victoria Watcher]

Saanich has the fifth-, sixth- and eighth-worst intersections for crashes, led by Blanshard Street/Saanich Road at 53.

 

 

Boleskine Road/Douglas Street/Saanich Road is at No. 6 with 52 (tied with Millstream Road/Trans-Canada Highway in Langford) and McKenzie Avenue/Quadra Street sits at No. 8. with 49.

 

 

 

“They’re very busy intersections at almost all times during the day,” said Saanich police Const. Markus Anastasiades, adding all road users should be “extra-diligent” when approaching intersections.

 

https://www.timescol...saanich-6251823

 

 

 

 

 

As usual they are all intersections where roads cross at less than perpendicular angles.  Humans are bad at that.

 

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 15 December 2022 - 06:32 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Two taken to hospital after vehicle plunges into deep ditch on Pat Bay Highway

A small red SUV went off the highway and about 15 metres into a ditch, coming to rest in a patch of blackberry bushes.

https://www.timescol...highway-6318934

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 03 January 2023 - 03:25 AM.

[pontcanna]

@VirginRadioVIC - 3:01 pm

Collision Malahat NB near Goldstream, traffic not moving

 

[Nparker]

Is traffic still not moving?

[pontcanna]

Alcohol thought to be involved in fatal crash in Coombs area

Pickup truck had crossed the centre line and struck a smaller car

Police believe alcohol was a factor in a fatal collision Friday on Highway 4 near Coombs.

Oceanside RCMP Cpl. Travis Strong said a call was received about 5:50 p.m. about the crash. Ambulance and fire personnel also responded.
 
A pickup truck had crossed the centre line and struck a smaller car, Strong said.

“The only occupant in the car was the driver and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

The pickup driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital, while the lone passenger was not hurt.

More: https://www.timescol...bs-area-6342847

[pontcanna]

‘I just felt sick the whole time’: Port Alberni woman deals with loss after suspected drunk driving crash

Jan. 10, 2023 

Family photos will never be the same again for the Greenard family in Port Alberni after a senseless tragedy on a local highway late Friday afternoon.
 

James Greenard, wife Sean and children

 

James Greenard, 42, would always be back to his Port Alberni home at 6:05 p.m. from his job at Harmac in Nanaimo.

But on Friday night, he never returned.

Sean, his partner of 14 years, knew there had been an accident near Coombs and began fearing the worst as the hours went by.

“At about 11 o’clock the police knocked on my door to let me know,” she added. “The wait was horrifying. I just felt sick the whole time because I knew there was no way that if he was OK he [wouldn’t] have contacted me.”

“And one of my questions to the police was, was alcohol a factor or drugs and he said yes, alcohol was,” Greenard said.

It’s a bitter irony because James had just celebrated two years of being clean after a battle with addictions and the couple had also stopped drinking alcohol.

The BC RCMP Highway Patrol is now investigating the crash and did not reply to a CHEK News request Tuesday for information on possible criminal charges against the driver of the other vehicle.

In the meantime, she now has two young children to raise without a father, a 10-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son.

A GoFundMe has been set up and has already raised over $33,000 for the family.

 

More: https://www.cheknews...-crash-1131763/

 

[Victoria Watcher]

What's "traffic pollution"?   Can't get past the paywall.

 

 

 

Traffic pollution can impair brain function, say UVic and UBC researchers

 

Groundbreaking study finds even brief exposures have adverse effects on human brain

 

https://www.vicnews....bc-researchers/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 January 2023 - 02:54 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

What's "traffic pollution"?   Can't get past the paywall.

 

 

 

Traffic pollution can impair brain function, say UVic and UBC researchers

 

Groundbreaking study finds even brief exposures have adverse effects on human brain

 

https://www.vicnews....bc-researchers/

 

 

I have now been informed it's "pollution from traffic".  Or, expressly, exposure to diesel fumes, as the test subjects were.

 

I'll be holding a press conference at 11pm.

[pontcanna]

Police investigate collision on Highway 4 near Taylor River rest area

Port Alberni

2023-01-24 - File #2023-752

On January 23rd, 2023 at approximately 6:30 p.m. the Port Alberni RCMP received a report of a minor single vehicle collision on Highway 4 near the Taylor River rest area.

Upon attendance, first responders located the driver, who was uninjured and an adult man deceased inside the vehicle. The cause of death is under investigation but is not believed to be related to the collision.

Port Alberni RCMP resources are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. The BC Coroners Service is also conducting a parallel investigation.

Police do not believe there is any danger to the public regarding this incident.

Next of kin notifications are in progress.

If you have any information about this incident, please contact the Port Alberni RCMP at 250-723-2424.
 
Released by

Cpl. Alex Bérubé
District Advisory NCO (Media Relations)
Island District

[pontcanna]

BODY DISCOVERED

Hit and run suspected after body found in south Nanaimo

Jan 27, 2023 

NANAIMO — Local Mounties are launching an investigation following the discovery of a body early Friday morning.

A person out for a walk discovered a deceased individual on the side of Seventh St/Harewood Mines Rd., near the Nanaimo Parkway overpass and south side of Colliery Dam Park just before 7 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 27.

 

Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien said officers attended and began combing the area. "It appears the injuries may be consistent with being hit with a vehicle but we’re not sure at this point.”

“We’ll be looking for any forensic evidence left at the scene and our first priority will be identifying the deceased and notifying the next of kin.”

The person was wearing dark clothing at the time of the incident and O’Brien said anyone who was in the area before 7 a.m. with information or dash cam footage should contact the Nanaimo detachment.

 

UPDATE — Nanaimo RCMP confirm the victim of a suspected hit and run early Friday morning was a 34-year-old man of no fixed address.

“”Several individuals have reached out with information that may related to the investigation. Police were unable to contact them directly today by will in due course,” a release from RCMP said.

 

More: https://nanaimonewsn...-south-nanaimo/

 

 

[Victoria Watcher]

Seattle:

 

 

 

 

The cops have all but stopped. They gave out only 3,863 tickets for 2022 — a drop of 90% from the 2010s pre-pandemic average.

 

I bring this up because city leaders have been expressing crisis-level concerns of late about the rise in traffic accidents and deaths in Seattle. Last year there were 28 deaths and 10,000 accidents, and the year before there were 30 deaths – the most in 15 years. This though the city is seven years into a safety campaign to eliminate all traffic-related deaths by 2030.

 

The city transportation department has done a review of why that “Vision Zero” campaign isn’t working. The 37-page report makes almost no mention of police enforcement — other than to say it’s out.

 

“Peer agencies are moving away from enforcement as a leading strategy, pointing instead to a safe systems model and designing roads to be ‘self-enforcing,’“ the report said.

 

“I don’t think any of us want police involved in traffic stops,” summed up Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales at a hearing last week, and no one disagreed.

 

https://www.seattlet...Registered User

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 15 March 2023 - 07:05 AM.

[Barrrister]

Seattle sounds like a good place to avoid.

[Mike K.]

“Peer agencies are moving away from enforcement as a leading strategy, pointing instead to a safe systems model and designing roads to be ‘self-enforcing,’“ the report said.

The data shows otherwise. Luckily for greater Seattle residents, most of them live outside of that city/municipality.