COLUMN: Drive Safe

There’s been a lot said (and written) about winter almost being here — Halloween is over and done with, and that inevitably means the slow onslaught of Christmas cheer you either love or hate.

With that season comes some crazy weather, including the night of Nov. 5, when Highway 2 in between Athabasca and Westlock was covered in a thick blanket of fog.

While driving back, trying to figure out what I was going to write for this column, I figured I would use a bit of the abstract terror poor driving conditions create for inspiration.

This winter, please don’t drive like the stereotypical Albertan driver — yes, you have a large truck, and yes, it has some remarkably large tires on it, but that doesn’t make 130 km/h an acceptable speed during a white out.

We all share the road, and selfish driving habits not only put other drivers at risk, but they also put first responders at risk when they head out to the plethora of ice-and-snow related incidents they respond to each year.

Not every accident is caused by reckless driving, but enough of them are that I want to take a moment to comment on it.

There’s a saying in news that, ‘if it bleeds it leads,’ and for many companies that’s true. Not for us however — if we get through the winter without writing the words ‘Highway XYZ is closed after a two-car collision left one man dead’ we’ll all be happy.

Please drive safe this winter.

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