Most people believe that winter is the most dangerous time of the year to travel by car, but it’s not true.

The majority of fatalities occur on straight, dry roads during daylight in summer at the hands of sober drivers. Unfortunately, many people on vacation become careless instead of carefree. I just want to offer a reminder to the people of Yorkton-Melville that the most dangerous driving season of the year is upon us, and disaster can be easily avoided by focusing on driving.

Many drivers continue to dilute their decision-making capabilities between operating a motor vehicle and talking on their cell phone. Imagine trying to play chess or finish a crossword puzzle while talking on the phone and making business decisions. Both activities suffer. Transport Canada recommends that driver distraction increases when talking on the phone and the likelihood of a collision increases with it. Check out www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety for safe driving tips.

The federal government department advises drivers to turn their phones off before they begin their journey and let calls go to voice mail. Or, leave the phone in the care of a passenger who can receive and send calls. If drivers need to send or receive calls themselves, find a safe place to pull over. Driving a car requires a series of decisions based on stimuli that are constantly changing. Put simply, people tend not to drive up to par when they’re engaged in another complex activity, including communications.

Parents know that special care should be taken when installing children’s car seats. Rear-facing seats for infants shouldn’t be phased out too soon – see the manufacturer’s recommendations on how much baby should weigh before switching to a forward-facing seat. Securing a child’s car seat in the car properly is tricky -- ensure straps are tight and securely anchored. You may be glad you did.

Many of us remember travelling in days gone by before seat belts, car seats and air bags, but we need to remember these safety items were introduced to keep our families safer. On a national scale, Saskatchewan drivers tend to buckle up less in rural areas, where an average of just 83 percent of drivers use seat belts. This could reflect the lower incidence of seat belt use demonstrated by pick-up truck occupants, when compared with cars and mini-vans. Drivers and passengers in pick-ups might not feel they are at risk on our rural roads, but keep in mind that most fatalities occur on straight, dry roads and near to home.

This is a time of year when we deserve some time off to relax with family and friends, but let’s not lose sight of the need to arrive alive.

-30-

The audio version of Garry's July 7, 2008 op-ed column can be heard by clicking here