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My name is Detective Constable McIntyre and I'm with the York Regional Police Collision
Investigation Unit. I've been a member of the York Regional Police now for approximately
10 years. I'm here to talk to you about distractions while driving and while using our roadways
as a pedestrian. Distracted driving can be classified or defined as when a person takes
attention away from the roadway while operating a motor vehicle.
Where pedestrians are concerned, it could be defined as when a person is walking and using a cell phone and not paying attention
to their surroundings or where they're going.
Valuable attention that could result in a minor collision to a major collision involving fatalities.
Now when a fatality occurs, the officers are responsible for notifying the families that have just lost a loved one.
Unfortunately it's a part of our duty and it has to be done.
Now just imagine... this is a very traumatic situation. A traumatic situation involving a loss of life.
Having to sit down with the family and explain that you just lost a husband, a wife, a son, a daughter
and so on because of negligence by another person...
This is a very emotional, emotional time. An emotional time that takes a toll on not just the family, friends and
even the neighbours of the deceased, but also on the officers themselves.
It just doesn't end with having to deliver that news to the family. This is an ongoing situation because
there are also follow-ups at the end and officers still have to deal with the family
in terms of updating the family on the process of the investigation, going to court and having
to relive the situation all over again. It's a very trying time and very emotionally taxing
on everyone involved. The fact of the matter is, the Region of York is growing and it's
growing rapidly. Which means that there are more pedestrians on our roadways, there is
more vehicular traffic on our roadways and this is the time for us to pay attention and
arrive safe.