Estevan drivers are making more and more trips to the autobody shop if statistics from SGI are any indication.
The number of collision claims received by SGI was up slightly from October to December in 2010 but took a huge jump in January, according to statistics provided by the Crown insurer.
Overall, there were 850 claims filed in the final three months of 2010, compared to 814 claims during the same period in 2009. However, in January there were 449 claims through the first 28 days of the month. In 2010, there were only 306 claims in the entire month.
Chief Del Block of the Estevan Police Service said although the spike in accidents hasn't meant an increase in work for his officers as they are only called in for the more serious collisions, he is concerned by the increase.
Block said he also thinks there are a handful of reasons for the increase, noting the increase in Estevan's population stands out as the most obvious one.
"Anybody that drives here within the city knows that the traffic has increased in the last year and a half," Block said. "We now have little mini-rush hours and it is not uncommon to wait and wait - especially if you are trying to make a left hand turn - before you can do it. Sometimes you literally can't make a left hand turn, you have to go right and go around the block."
Block added that many residents have also failed to adjust their driving style to the weather conditions during what has been a somewhat predictable winter.
"I can't back it up with stats, but it just seems we have had so much more ice and slippery conditions than we would have in a normal winter," said Block. "A lot of accidents that are happening are (drivers) just sliding into somebody. But people just have to adjust to winter driving conditions and abide by the rules of the road."
To help combat issues such as sliding, Block encourages drivers to put winter tires on their vehicles. There is no law forcing Saskatchewan drivers to use winter tires but he said they are a big help on icy roads.
Block added that along with adjusting to the weather, drivers should adjust to the increase in traffic.
"Whatever time you take to get to work in the summer, add another 15 or 20 minutes to it and get there safe," he said.
"There has been such a traffic increase here in the city. The City is looking at it; it is expensive to put street lights in but we are talking about infrastructure. But people are just going to have to adjust to it until we get all the different traffic devices in that we are going to put in."
Among the traffic devices that Block speaks of are the lights at the intersection of Kensington Avenue and Rooney Road. Although it was previously reported that the lights had been removed from the 2011 budget, it has since been pointed out that money for the project has been carried over from the 2010 budget and the lights will be erected this summer.
Block said the City is also looking at lights at the intersection of Devonian and Kensington where a number of large trucks are having troubles making a left hand turn. The City also has plans to install left hand turn signals at the intersection of Fourth Street and Souris Avenue which has long been an area of concern.
Block also noted the number of tickets for traffic violations was up significantly and that his officers may also need to step up their enforcement even further to educate drivers.
