Police Beat: The importance of good winter tires, and sober driving
By Rossland Telegraph
Winter conditions are making driving dangerous on our mountain passes, especially for anyone without good snow tires. At least one driver has already discovered that his tires were not up to the conditions: on September 29, near the Paulson Summit, a two-wheel drive car travelling in the slow lane encountered heavy slush, was unable to maintain traction, slid off the road and rolled several times down an embankment before being stopped by a tree. The driver was able to get out of the car by himself, and an ambulance took him to the Castlegar hospital. He was treated for back pain and neck injuries.
The RCMP ask motorists to take extra care in the wintertime conditions; drive cautiously, pay close attention to driving conditions, and be sure to have good winter tires.
The ICBC website says, “If you live or travel in an area where you would normally and regularly expect snow, ice and slush, we recommend using four matched winter tires that carry the mountain/snowflake symbol. Mountain/snowflake tires offer a higher level of traction in harsh winter conditions, and receive their special designation for adhering to a performance-based standard (developed by the U.S. Rubber Manufacturers Association and the Rubber Association of Canada). They are the best winter tires available.”
Back in the summertime, another driver had difficulties with a different cause, this time on the Cascade Highway near Rossland. A 31-year-old male driver had managed to get his 2002 grey Nissan Pathfinder upside-down on the roadway; it was resting on its roof, and when the RCMP attended, they found that the driver was impaired by alcohol.
The driver was charged and appeared in Provincial Court at the Rossland courthouse on October 1, 2019 and was found guilty of driving with a blood alcohol content “equal to or over 90 milligrams.” He was sentenced to pay a $2000.00 fine, and received a one-year driving prohibition.
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