Vehicle occupants are well aware of the benefits of wearing seatbelts and the requirement that they use them. More than 97% of Canadians wear their seatbelts according to Transport Canada. What some don't seem to be aware of is that the belt must be worn properly in order to provide protection.
The only thing I wanted for my 16th birthday was my driver's licence. My father took time off of work to drive me to what was then called the Motor License Office where I earned my learner's. It was a big day in my life, and marked the first milestone in joining the world of the adult.
One would think that wearing a seatbelt would be an automatic habit for today's drivers and their passengers. The seatbelt law has been in place for many years and the benefits of being properly buckled up have been clearly demonstrated.
I'm a bit surprised that I have never dealt with the subject of cell phone use while driving in this column. There has been ample opportunity, from observing drivers while I am at work, to reading reports about it from safety researchers, your suggestions, and even a comment from the judiciary about clamping down on drivers who use them when they drive.
I have just returned from a visit to Montreal, and the driving behaviour that I saw there made me wonder about traffic rules. Why do we have them? If they are worth having, why don't drivers follow them?
Sometimes the simplest questions can make you think. I was asked if radar detectors were legal in British Columbia by a work experience student I had taken out on patrol. The answer is, yes, they are.
The student paused to think this through. Speeding is illegal was the next observation. Yes, that's true also.