Family of crash victim call for changes to dangerous stretch of Hwy. 1 near Field, B.C.
A 40-kilometre stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway has claimed at least eight lives so far this year, and that toll has family of a lost loved one calling for change.
Scott and Dee Morrison had 28 years together but their time came to a tragic end just west of Field, B.C., on Feb. 5, when Scott Morrison's F-150 collided head-on with a semi truck that crossed the centre line.
Morrison, 51, was killed instantly. His brother survived but suffered multiple life-altering injuries.
"He was just very easy to love and he was my best, best friend in the world," said Dee Morrison.
When a Calgary couple was killed in the same area earlier this month, it all came flooding back.
"I literally bawled my eyes out," said Morrison.
"Because I knew what those families were going through. It was like (Scott) died all over again.”
Among the eight people who have died on that stretch of Highway 1 this year are three truckers who were killed in a fiery crash involving a cattle liner in late August.
Parks Canada is looking at twinning the highway and – according to its impact assessment – the road has a higher collision rate than average for similar highways.
The document was completed last year but so far no money has been committed.
"That area, there's not any dividers, absolutely no dividers between that road at all," said Morrison.
"And the speed, of course, is a factor on that road, too."
Skilled Truckers Canada says deadlines, slow trucks, new truckers and few police create “a recipe for disaster.”
Parks Canada initially agreed to an interview for this story, but days later said that wasn’t possible.
According to Parks Canada, peak summer traffic sees roughly 14,500 vehicles a day along the route – that’s expected to rise to 23,000 vehicles by 2040.
Golden RCMP say that driver inattention is a key cause of the fatalities, along with speed.
“Traffic has also increased substantially in national parks since COVID restrictions lifted, and drivers are eager to get ahead of slow-moving traffic," the RCMP said in a statement.
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