[Dion]

According to the yearly Allstate Safe Driving Study, Calgary comes in at a dismal 55 out of 81 communities. Allstate conducts its study by looking at how often its customers collide — and not necessarily with each other. Calgary’s ranking would probably be even grimmer if other drivers’ records were taken into consideration; not everyone is insured by Allstate.

Typical is the report that 660AM tweeted as I was writing this: “EB smash-up on G’more on the causeway blocking 2 lanes. Stacks up traffic past a now-slow SB Crowchild.” To which exasperated commuters can only reply: “What else is new?”

Lisa McWatt, director of brand innovation for Allstate Canada, said she thinks the problem is drivers’ behaviour: “We think that’s really about people rushing around and not driving with the care they should.”

The top cause, responsible for 35 per cent of accidents, is that the driver “failed to look properly.” This is followed by “failed to judge other person’s path or speed; careless, reckless or in a hurry; loss of control; poor turn or manoeuvre; travelling too fast for conditions; slippery road due to weather; sudden braking, and following too closely.”

Let’s customize a list for Calgary: Using exit lanes as passing lanes and then cutting across back into the flow of traffic at the last moment. Hogging the left lane as though it’s a Sunday in 1890 and you’re driving a horseless carriage, thus forcing others to pass you on the right. Weaving in and out of traffic at top speed. Tailgating — and rear-ending the driver in front of you when he brakes suddenly due to someone else’s shenanigans ahead of him. Refusing to let someone in who is desperately trying to merge because his lane is ending. Insisting on turning left in front of oncoming traffic who now have the green light, even though your own left-turn signal has changed to red. Talking on your cellphone or texting, because the law about distracted driving is for everyone else, not you.

http://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/lakritz-3