Winter Driving

Tuesday, 13 November 2018 07:25

OPP want to remind drivers to pay attention and be alert while driving with the winter season on its way.

OXFORD COUNTY - With the unforgiving winter season coming ahead our local OPP would like to remind drivers to stay safe behind the wheel.

Police want drivers to put an effort into preparing for the upcoming wet and icy roads. With some collision data from the past and trends from 2013-2017. The figures don't make up for the severity of the collisions and injuries involved with them. OPP remind drivers that greater speeds increase the impact which make greater losses.

By the Place: Collisions more than 50% of the time occur on open roads with no secondary vehicle. And we all know the blame goes towards the driver when in a single vehicle crash.

By the Cause: Wild or domestic animals, distracted driving and speeding are the 3 leading causes of collisions. Other mentions are failing to yield to right of way, following to closely to another vehicle and losing control due to road conditions.

By the Season: It's fair to say that winter driving is a perishable skill given in which November sees the most vehicle collisions until a steady decrease to spring. The spike in crashes in June follows the same pattern in it marks a drastic change in season and driving habits. The horrible weather in early winter and the over confidence in early summer, make the case that a cautious driver is a safe driver.

By the Day: Sundays have the most collisions followed by Monday and Fridays. With the transitional period from a weekend to a weekday mind set.

By the Time: Collisions increase around 5:00 p.m with a small increase later at 8 a.m. These translate into the early morning and after work commuting.

By the Weather: Over 70% of collisions happen on clear days with peak driving conditions when drivers are at high speeds with over confidence. This may be contrary to popular belief, remember that severe weather causes drivers to lower speeds causing less of an impact and injuries.

OPP want to remind all drivers to give yourself time and space behind the wheel. This is so it can adjust and react to hazards that can ruin your day.