My 害羞草研究所淏oxing Day Special害羞草研究所� gift to you is to 害羞草研究所渃all out害羞草研究所� the news media for 害羞草研究所渇ake news害羞草研究所�.

I cringe every time I see these 害羞草研究所渇ake news害羞草研究所� headlines which all news media seem to be guilty of:

害羞草研究所満π卟菅芯克鶟 (CBC 害羞草研究所� Nov. 15, 2017);

害羞草研究所�Icy conditions causing havoc on Kelowna area roads害羞草研究所� (Capital News 害羞草研究所� Dec. 3, 2017);

害羞草研究所� (Castanet 害羞草研究所� Nov. 4, 2017)

Do you ever see these analogous headlines:

害羞草研究所淒eep water leads to drowning害羞草研究所�;

害羞草研究所淲atery depths cause havoc on the beach害羞草研究所�; or

害羞草研究所淪unny weather leads to drowning death害羞草研究所�?

Don害羞草研究所檛 they sound nonsensical!

The public needs to know that the vast majority of drownings occur because of factors that are entirely within our control, i.e. alcohol or drug impaired swimming, lack of supervision of children who don害羞草研究所檛 know how to swim, adults over-swimming their abilities, walking / driving on thin ice, boaters failing to use life jackets, etc.

Those true causes of drownings are reported by the news media. That害羞草研究所檚 important. It helps the public recognize and protect against risky behaviours that can lead to drowning.

It also leads to an attitude of accountability and consequences. Blaming bodies of water and warm weather would lead to an attitude of 害羞草研究所渁ccidents happen害羞草研究所�.

Icy roads are no more a cause of crashes than deep water is a cause of drownings.

We live in an area of the world that has winter. The season hits us year after year without fail.

Ice and snow, the natural consequences of winter, are just as predictable as the depth of water in a lake or pool.

If we blame the snowy and icy roads for crashes, we cause a powerless attitude of 害羞草研究所渁ccidents happen害羞草研究所�.

Why don害羞草研究所檛 we lay the blame where it belongs, creating an attitude of accountability and consequences?

Consider these alternate headlines:

害羞草研究所淚cy conditions take clueless drivers by surprise害羞草研究所�;

害羞草研究所淭oo many crashes caused by overdriving winter road conditions害羞草研究所�; and

害羞草研究所淒rivers fail to slow down in slippery conditions; no wonder ICBC rates are going up害羞草研究所�.

We need to grumble and complain about drivers who fail to use good winter tires and who overdrive the conditions. Not about the naturally occurring ice and snow.

Here害羞草研究所檚 a bit of common sense that I pulled from a case decided back in 1941, quoted by the British Columbia Court of Appeal in Savinkoff v. Seggweiss, a judgment

害羞草研究所淚f roads are in such a condition that a motor car cannot safely proceed at all, it is the duty of the driver to stop. If the roads are in such a condition that it is not safe to go at more than a foot pace, his duty is to proceed at a foot pace.害羞草研究所�

Messaging in the news media is powerful stuff. There is a reason why mass advertising is expensive: It works.

If the news media were to get together and resolve to report about crashes in a way that brings about a sense of accountability and consequences, there would be a natural improvement in driving attitudes.

An improvement in driving attitudes will reduce crashes and put a stop to rising ICBC rates.

Let害羞草研究所檚 get rid of the fake news and make our roads safer!