Sooke RCMP and the Capital Regional District Integrated Road Safety Unit will join with police forces across the province and ICBC targeting drivers travelling at unsafe speeds.
Speed-related crashes that result in injury or fatality increase by over 50 per cent in B.C. between November and January. About 40 of these crashes occur on Vancouver Island each month.
Driving too fast for the road conditions is a factor in most speed related crashes, according to ICBC.
Tips for Island drivers:
n Consider using your headlights whenever weather is poor and visibility is reduced – not only at night – to help you see ahead and be seen by other drivers.
n Heavy rain can seriously reduce visibility and make road surfaces more difficult to stop on. Make sure your wipers are in good condition and increase your following distance to at least four seconds.
n When fog hits, turn your headlights on or use fog lights if it’s very foggy. Use your defroster to keep your windows clear. Use the right edge of the road or road markings as a guide.
n When temperatures near freezing, be aware of black ice. While it’s virtually impossible to see ahead of time, if you notice ice build-up on your windshield, there’s likely black ice on the road.
n The key to driving in snow and ice is to accelerate and brake slowly and avoid unexpected sudden movements that could cause you to skid.
So far this year, there has been one motor vehicle death on Sooke roads.