Women's group calls on province to crack down on dangerous driving on Blue Shank Road
'It doesn't get better; it gets worse,' resident says of the traffic on Highway 107
People who live along Highway 107 are once more calling on the P.E.I. government to help slow down the traffic as drivers take the popular shortcut to and from Summerside's southeastern edge.
The Kelvin Grove Women's Institute has sent a letter to Premier Dennis King and the Department of Transportation to highlight safety issues and call attention to the dangerous driving they say is common on the Blue Shank Road.
Grace Jenkins, the institute's president, said she has seen at least three or four accidents within just a few months.
"There's going to be an accident, there's going to be fatalities, and we need to do as much as we can to shine a light on the safety issues of this highway," she said.
The letter asks for the kind of solar-powered digital signage that's being used elsewhere on the Island to try to make people more aware of how fast they are going.
The group also wants signs to let drivers know they are approaching an intersection and should slow down, and it's calling on the RCMP to conduct frequent road stops in the area.
The posted speed is 80 km/h, but Jenkins said people are driving well beyond that limit.
"Eighty kilometres an hour is a slow speed for a major highway, and I think [when] people see that, they think: 'Oh, I can't go 80 kilometres,' and before they know it, they're 90, they're 100, they're 120 because it's a straight stretch."
Jenkins said too many drivers are passing recklessly and tailgating at high speeds, as well as not paying attention when they're behind the wheel.
"We need to let people know that this highway could take their life someday."
Just within the last few weeks, Jenkins witnessed a three-car collision on the road. She said she helped an 11-year-old out of the ditch, and a local teacher was also involved in the accident.
"It is not if but when there is going to be a fatality at this corner, and I need to do what I can to see that we work toward that not happening," she said.
Claire Matteau is also a member of the Kelvin Grove Women's Institute, and has lived on the Blue Shank Road for 20 years. She said that when she drives the speed limit, the vehicles behind her will often blow their horn at her because she isn't going fast enough for their liking — and some will pass her on the double line.
Matteau said she gets a lot of pushback when telling drivers they need to slow down.
"They say, 'It's none of your business.' And I say, 'Yes, it is, because that's my road.'"
In a statement to CBC, the Department of Transportation acknowledged speeding has become more prevalent or at least more visible in recent years "possibly due to changes in traffic patterns, driver behaviour, or population growth."
Finding 'balance' in speed limit
It said it bases speed limits on provincial roads on factors like road design, traffic flow and safety data.
"Speed limits that are too low can cause congestion, frustration, and dangerous driver behaviour, while speed limits that are too high can increase the risk of accidents. The department strives to find a balance."
The department noted a section of the Blue Shank Road was recently repaved, and there are intersection warning signs, directional boards, route assembly signs before the four intersections, and delineated street lighting at these intersections to increase visibility.
"While enforcement and infrastructure play key roles in road safety, drivers must also take personal responsibility for their actions behind the wheel," the statement said. "Everyone has a part to play in keeping roads safe and reducing the risk of accidents."
The RCMP, meanwhile, say Blue Shank Road is regularly patrolled, and people should contact them if they have concerns about dangerous driving.
"The people who live in the community are the ones who know best about what goes on in those communities, and if there are any issues that need to be addressed, we certainly welcome those reports," said Cpl. Gavin Moore.
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With files from Connor Lamont