The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

< Bob YRBANAC Z SPORTS EDITOR ar 22 Letters to the editor must contain the writer‘s full name, signature, address and telephone number. Addresses and telephone numbers are used only for verification purâ€" poses and will not be published. Names will not be withheld. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject any contribution for brevity or legal purposes. Letters may be submitted by fax to $86â€"9383 or by email to editorial@waterloochronicle.ca or by mail or delivered to Waterloo Chroniâ€" cle, 279 Weber St. N., Suite 20, Waterloo, Ontanio NZJ 3H8 COPYRIGHT The contents of this newspaper are proâ€" tected by copyright and may be used only for personal nonâ€"commercial purposes All other rights are reserved and commerâ€" cial use is prohibited. To make any use of this material you must first obtain the permission of the owner of the copyâ€" right. For further information contact Andrea Bailey, Editor, Waterloo Chroniâ€" cle, 279 Weber St. N. Suite 20, Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3H8 ONTARIO PRESS COUNCIL The Waterloo Chronicle is a member of The Ontario Press Council, which considâ€" ers complaints against member newspaâ€" pers. Any complaint about news, opinâ€" 1ons advertising or conduct should first be taken to the newspaper. Unresolved comâ€" plaints can be brought to: Ontario Press Council, 2 Carlton Street, Suite 1706, Toronto, ON., MSB 1J3. LETTERS POLICY The Waterloo Chronicle is published each Wednesday by Metroland West, a subâ€" sidiary of Torstar Corporation. CLASSIFIED (519) X95â€"5230 CRCULATION (519) 886â€"2830 ext. 213 Canadian Publications Mail Sales Publication Agreement Number 40050478 jormston@@‘waterloochronicle. ca Bill PIHURA ext. 228 bpihuraia waterloochronicle.ca Carly GIBBS exr 222 cgibbsta. waterloochronicle.ca Gerry MATTICE E1 230 RETAIL SALES MANAGER Norma CYCA ext. 223 neveala‘ waterloochronicle.ca International Standard Serial Number editorial(a)waterloochronicle ca Jennifer ORMSTON REPORTER eir 203 sportsia waterloochronicle ca ASSN 0832â€"3410 Audited Circulation: 31,292 Neil OLIVER GROUP PUBLISHER Andrea BAILE Y EDITOR ear 275 salesia waterloochronicle ca EDITORIAL ADVERTISING ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES WATERLOO CHRONICLE 279 Weber St. N., Suite 20 Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3H8 5$19â€"886â€"2830 Fax: 519â€"886â€"9383 www. waterloochronicle.ca FAX 886â€"9383 EMAIL editorial @waterioochronicle.ca MAIL OR IN PERSON 279 Weber St. N., Suite 20 Waterioo, Ontario N2J 3H8 229 Now our already stressed medical system'will be under more pressure from parents who are likely needâ€" lessly panicking. Facts should be verified before such lifeâ€"altering accu sations are made. Nothing gets people tuning in more than a crisis â€" especially one that directly affects them. Taking information from this report and drawing conâ€" clusions based on knowledge that some U.S. hospitals under similar review were giving adult doses of radiation to children during CAT scans was irresponsible reporting. In fact, "That‘s not what we said," added a "perturbed" McCarter. He admitted the report states some children at Grand River Hospital, as well as a Peterborough hospital, received a CAT scan setting higher than the recommendâ€" ed amount. But he added, "... that doesn‘t mean it was the adult setting. "All we reported was that half of them were higher, but not that they were at the adult setting." This is a prime example of media sensationalism at its best. A. sure way to get a person to perk up and listen to mething is by telling them a loved one is in danger. Thus was the case last week when several media sources announced Grand River Hospital has been giving some children adult doses of radiation during CAT scans, increasing their odds of developing cancer in the future. These claims were based on questions raised by Ontario‘s auditor general Jim McCarter in his annual report last week around protocols used in the CAT scanâ€" ning of young children. But McCarter said news stories that suggested it‘s rou tine for children to get CAT scans at adult settings were inaccurate. CAT scan scare wasn‘t necessary HRON VIEWPOINT I could have easily slid into the driver‘s rear end or fishtailed into another lane â€" all because a motorist couldn‘t wait the extra four seconds for me to go by. I swear some people get their driver‘s licenses in cereal boxes. From the headlines around Waterloo region last week, apparently I‘m not I‘d come up a heavily travelled, somewhat slippery road at a reasonable pace, and be forced to brake because some thoughtless driver couldn‘t wait for me to get by before pulling out of a driveway into my lane. Not only would this be inconsiderate in even the driest, sunniest conditions, it‘s downright dangerous in winter. I can‘t tell you how many close calls I had last week, all of them caused by drivers who forget how to maneuver properly â€" and courteously â€" on ice and snow. We need to be up to our ankles in white stuff and frozen to the bone at least 13 times before we earn our right to springtime relief. Well, so be it. But since we have no choice but to put up with the frigid weather, the least we can do is learn to drive in it. Last week‘s mini blast, which forced those of us without garages to sweep and scrape our cars each morning, was enough â€" let‘s see some May flowers. But wait, that wouldn‘t be the Canadian way. Don‘t sacrifice safety for pride If you‘re anything like me, you‘ve had it with winter already. This fall saw many pedesâ€" trians hit and, in some cases, killed on Waterloo region roads. And this all happened before the snow fell. And erratic driving not only endangers other drivâ€" ers; think of defenseless pedestrians who take their lives in their hands when venturing out on a winter day. As Waterloo resident Alan Medcalf so adequately wrote in a letter to the Record The first six cars in the crash likely had to do with the weather; the last 14 were rubberâ€"neckers who cared more about getting a good view of the accident scene than watching the road in front of them. Not smart, especially at this time of year. A 20â€"car pileup on the 401 near Woodstock last Thursday likely had a lot to do with the ice sheets on the road. According to the police at the scene, visibility was limâ€" ited at the time, and there were snow flurries. alone in my concerns No driver owns the road; we need to stop acting like we do, and sacrifice some pride for safety. You‘ve been given the privilege to drive; the least you can do is live up to the standards and expectations the province has bestowed upon you. Other winterâ€"driving tips include: keep a safe distance of at least five seconds behind other vehicles and trucks that are plowing the road; when there is snow on the ground and the sun is bright, wear sunglasses; avoid driving when you are tired; and always maintain a safe following distance between your car and the vehicle in front. It takes a greater distance to stop on ice and snow. If you‘re supposed to yield â€" yield! If it‘s slippery â€" slow down! If your winâ€" dows are covered in ice or snow that distorts your view â€"scrape! Yearâ€"round â€" with speâ€" cial emphasis on the winter â€" drivers need to slow down and keep other motorists in mind. It‘s not rocket science, people. recently, "... look up from your makeup applications, your coffeeâ€"sipping and your cellphone calis and look out your windshield instead to see what studies confirm. Average speeds on our roads are well above posted maximums and drivâ€" ers are dangerously distractâ€" Add some ice and snow to these everyday distracâ€" tions, and you‘ve got an accident waiting to happen.