Why should 91裸聊视频淎ccident91裸聊视频� (referring to road traffic incidents) go the way of other words like negro, midget and retarded?

Because it carries heavy baggage of unaccountability.

History lesson: In the early 1900s, when companies were looking to protect themselves from the costs of caring for workers injured on the job, 91裸聊视频淩elentless safety campaigns started calling these events 91裸聊视频榓ccidents,91裸聊视频� which excused the employer of responsibility91裸聊视频�. (May 22, 2016, quoting history professor Dr. Peter Norton.

Matt goes on sharing Dr. Norton91裸聊视频檚 history lesson: 91裸聊视频淲hen traffic deaths spiked in the 1920s, a consortium of auto-industry interests, including insurers, borrowed the word to shift the focus away from the cars themselves.91裸聊视频�

The word stuck, it91裸聊视频檚 connotation of unaccountable inevitability getting in the way of taking important steps to fix an ongoing, and growing, road safety disaster.

Overly dramatic? There is an average of over 175 collisions resulting in casualties every day in British Columbia. And crashes resulting in at least one fatality occur an average of every one and one-third days (2016 statistics). The numbers are growing.

Road safety advocates have been campaigning against the 91裸聊视频淎91裸聊视频� word for years. Here are some quotes I91裸聊视频檝e found online:

91裸聊视频淲hen you use the word 91裸聊视频榓ccident91裸聊视频�, it91裸聊视频檚 like 91裸聊视频楪od made it happen91裸聊视频� (Mark Rosekind, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration);

91裸聊视频淭he word wrongly implies that human decisions and actions have nothing to do with it91裸聊视频� (Jeff Larason, former Boston traffic reporter, now director of highway safety for Massachusetts);

91裸聊视频淭he phrase 91裸聊视频榠t was just an accident91裸聊视频� serves both as a claim of innocence and as an exoneration.91裸聊视频� (RoadPeace);

91裸聊视频淲hen we say 91裸聊视频榓ccident,91裸聊视频� we are basically throwing up our hands and saying that the deaths of children like Allison are inevitable, something no one is responsible for, like bad weather91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� (His-Pei Liao).

There is a web site dedicated to this issue: , which has a compelling introduction:

91裸聊视频淣ot all crashes are 91裸聊视频榓ccidents91裸聊视频�. Crimes are not 91裸聊视频榓ccidents91裸聊视频�. It91裸聊视频檚 not an 91裸聊视频榓ccident91裸聊视频� when a person makes a decision to drive drunk, distracted, or in a negligent manner. Stop giving criminals a pass by calling it an 91裸聊视频榓ccident91裸聊视频�.91裸聊视频�

A national (United States) to eliminate the 91裸聊视频淎91裸聊视频� word was kicked off June 8, 1997. I cannot possibly articulate the issue better than the road safety giants who carefully crafted the proclamation:

PROCLAMATION

Whereas, changing the way we think about events and the words we use will affect the way we behave. Our goal is to eliminate the word 91裸聊视频渁ccident91裸聊视频� from the realm of unintentional injury, on the highway and across the nation;

Whereas, motor vehicle crashes and injuries are predictable, preventable events. Continued use of the word 91裸聊视频渁ccident91裸聊视频� promotes the concept that these events are outside of human influence or control. In fact, they are predictable results of specific actions;

Whereas, we can identify their causes and take action to avoid them. These are not 91裸聊视频渁cts of God91裸聊视频�, but predictable results of the laws of physics;

Whereas, use of the word 91裸聊视频渁ccident91裸聊视频� works against bringing the appropriate resources to bear on this enormous problem. It allows the idea that the resulting injuries are an unexpected part of life;

Now, therefore, we the undersigned, in recognition of this life saving and injury preventing opportunity, do hereby proclaim a national campaign:

91裸聊视频淐rashes Aren91裸聊视频檛 Accidents91裸聊视频�

To eliminate the word 91裸聊视频渁ccident91裸聊视频� from the realm of unintentional injury, on the highway and across the nation, with our partners, with the media, and in all public contexts.

by Canada91裸聊视频檚 Traffic Injury Research Foundation, dated December, 2017, gives a supportive Canadian perspective.

My column last week included a teaser, that I would share the results of an on camera debate about this issue with local journalist, Kent Molgat. He was very kind and would have granted me the win regardless of my performance. Unfortunately, you won91裸聊视频檛 be able to see the debate because an example I used for how the 91裸聊视频淎91裸聊视频� word would not fit all unintentional occurrences (a sniper target shooting on a crowded beach, 91裸聊视频渁ccidentally91裸聊视频� blowing off a child91裸聊视频檚 head) failed to meet publication standards!

How about we come on board to eliminate the 91裸聊视频淎91裸聊视频� word when referring to motor vehicle collisions, crashes, and incidents in Kelowna? Will the local news media sign on? Will you?

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