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PAGE 20 TERRACE BAY NEWS AUGUST 28, 1974 DRIVE DEFENSIVELY Minister of Transportation and Com- munications John R. Rhodes urged motor- ists to drive defensively over the com- ing Labour Day weekend in an effort to avoid a repetition of the carnage on Ontario roads during the August Civic Holiday. "Through the August 3-4-5 Civic Hol- iday weekend this year, 33 people died in traffic accidents on provincial high -ways," said Mr. Rhodes. Defensive driving could have prevented many of these highway tragedies. _ Speed too fast for conditions, failure to yield, improper passing and loss of control were major contributing factors. "Surely it's worth a tremendous effort on the part of every citizens who drives, to see that we stop sacri- ficing dozens of lives each holiday wee -kend," added Mr. Rhodes. Preventability is the keyword to de- fensive driving. The only considerat- ion when a possible emergency situation arises is to prevent an accident from happening, despite the actions of other drivers or adverse driving conditions. Critical defensive driving practice must include: -- leaving a safe distance between you and the car ahead. At least one car length for every 10 miles of speed. -- don't insist on the right-of-way at highway intersections, even if you are legally entitled to it. -- look well ahead and be constantly aware of people or objects in your path which may effect the movement of your vehicle. -- gear your speed to weather and road conditions so that in an emergency sit- uation you have time to take defensive action or find some safe "out" of a collision situation. "All drivers must learn to give a little," the Minister concluded. "Th- ey must learn to react responsibly to the unexpected. It doesn't matter whether a driver is right -- he can be right and dead -- and that is a real tragedy."