Bob Layton: Roads wearing slip covers

What is it they say about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?

Every year we have the first snowfall and the first slippery roads and the first big round of traffic accidents.

I don’t know if “accident” is the right word. The dictionary says an accident is something unexpected and undesirable and often results in damage.

Unexpected hardly fits when we have vehicles with difficulty making it up an icy hill. For our first snowfall, the numbers from police saw more than 300 collisions, more than two dozen of which were hit and runs.

So what can we do better? Would mandatory snow tires help? Should there be a “part two” for Alberta driving exams, done on icy roads or maybe a special driver training rink?

Consider this: In order to pass your driver’s exam, you have to be able to parallel park, but you don’t have to show you can handle your car under Alberta winter driving conditions. How many people do you know who died while parallel parking?

Or dare I say it — would it help when the roads are wearing slip covers, to bring back calcium chloride?

Let me know what you think.

Bob Layton is the news manager of the Corus Edmonton group of radio stations.