If you had asked me three years ago when the Sea to Sky Highway was the most dangerous, I almost certainly would have said in the winter. But after a couple of summers of working at The Squamish Chief, it’s become clear that the highway is certainly just as dangerous as we head into these much warmer months—and we’ve got to start being prepared for it now.
As easy as it would be, I won’t be overly critical or admonishing of any speeders out there. Instead, with the reminder of a vehicle incident on May 10 plus the upcoming Victoria Day long weekend, it’ll be much more about our preparedness as we navigate the beautiful but sometimes daunting highway.
One of the easiest things we can do is give ourselves plenty of time to travel to our final destination. I am often forgetful about the number of other drivers who are also trying to travel in the same direction as me, so I’m always late getting to places. Giving ourselves a buffer allows delays to come and go without giving us too big of a headache.
Of course, if delays occur and you find yourself stalled on the highway, then being prepared with an emergency kit packed with food and water will definitely be helpful. If it is going to be super hot, consider bringing items that could help cool you down such as ice in a cooler or a way to be in the shade.
It’s also times like these that may test our patience, not only with other drivers but also those in the car with us. Having a handy game may just prove to pass the time more quickly and channel that aggression.
May is also the provincially declared Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
While we should always be noting motorcycles while driving, the vehicles themselves may be a bit new as we’ve just come from the colder months with fewer bikes. ICBC says drivers should maintain a distance of about three to four seconds when following a motorcycle and be especially cautious at intersections, where six out of 10 accidents with motorcycles in B.C. occur.
And I know I said I wouldn’t be overly critical of speeders but my best advice is to always take things slow. There’s so much for passengers to look at while on the stunning drive—which never gets old. Let ‘em enjoy that beauty at a nice and easy pace.
