Senior Safety Tips with Sergeant Bob

SAFETY TIP OF THE MONTH – FEBRUARY 2023

EXCESSIVE SPEEDING: Slow down, or you could be charged with stunt driving

While all Canadian provinces and territories have similar police speeding enforcement and set fine schedules, there are major differences in the definitions of “Stunt Driving”. In general terms, the definition is:

“A driver engaged in spinning or lifting wheels off the ground, rapid stopping or turning with the intent of interfering with others, driving too close to others, excessive speeding, etc.”

The speeding parameters for Stunt Driving get interesting in Ontario, where they are defined as:

Driving 150 km/h or more, and/or
Driving 50 km/h or more above the speed limit if the posted speed is 80 km/h or more, and/or
Driving 40 km/h or more above the speed limit if the posted speed limit is under 80 km/h.

This 40 km/h over in an 80 km/h zone provision results in many surprised speeders, licence suspensions and vehicle seizures in Ontario. This is just one of the province’s attempts to encourage the reduction of aggressive / stunt driving behaviour in built up areas such as school zones, residential areas, and construction zone.

The bottom line: Slow down to help stay safe on the roads. Check local / provincial / territorial rules for specific definitions and excessive speed enforcement and pay attention to your speed.

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  Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Sergeant Bob will not be presenting any of his safety tip seminars in person until further notice.

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A “BEST OF” SENIOR SAFETY IMPORTANT REMINDER

IMPORTANT: It’s time for winter tires

Preparing to drive south this winter? If you’re not interested in the added expense of a second set of tires and rims, changeover and storage, All Weather tires may be the ideal solution. With their improved performance, All Weather tires are growing in popularity among mature drivers. There are three factors to consider with the All Weather tire segment:

To qualify for auto insurance discounts and some provincial regulations, All Weather tires must carry the Three Peak Mountain Snow Flake (TPMSF) symbol. It means they meet strict performance specifications and are designed for use in severe snow conditions. And most auto insurance companies specify four tires must be installed and maintained November through April.
If you must drive in severe winter conditions or live in a snow belt area, there’s no substitute for a 100% dedicated winter tire. However, if you have to option to stay off the road in terrible conditions All Weather TPMSF tires may work for you.
All Weather tires typically wear faster than other tire categories due to compounds that allow low temperature adhesion and durability in summer heat. Like all car and light truck tires, tire life will also depend on vehicle type, terrain, driving habits, etc.

And remember: tire supply and appointments will be in high demand starting in late October / early November, so it’s best to think about your tire options long before winter arrives!

A “BEST OF” SENIOR SAFETY SPECIAL REPORT

IMPORTANT: Aggressive charitable donation requests

If you’re comfortable donating to a legitimate non-profit, continue. However, if you are approached by an aggressive or unscrupulous organization, follow Sergeant Bob’s easy two step program before donating your money or sharing any financial information:

When approached by an organization, ask for the registered name (both spelling and abbreviations) and most importantly, their Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) charitable registration number.
- Visit Canada.ca and search for the List of Charities.
- Ensure the organization is REGISTERED, not fraudulent, under review, penalized, suspended or cancelled.
- Entering the charitable registration number under “Advanced search” yields a faster, more accurate search than the name.
If approached by an organization in person, by phone, online or via mail, follow Sergeant Bob’s tried and true C.P.R. test, and stop the discussion IMMEDIATELY if you feel:
- C – Confused… about the organization, where your money is actually going, payment plans, etc.
- P – Pressured… about the need for your contribution and by the guilt of not donating.
- R – Rushed… into quickly donating, sharing PIN information, eliminating your research time.

If you “smell a rat”, confirm your suspicions and hep protect yourself by following Sergeant Bob’s, C.P.R. “First Aid” for Potential Fraud Victims.