Why should 香蕉视频直播淎ccident香蕉视频直播� (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, 香蕉视频直播淩elentless safety campaigns started calling these events 香蕉视频直播榓ccidents,香蕉视频直播� which excused the employer of responsibility香蕉视频直播�. (May 22, 2016, quoting history professor Dr. Peter Norton.

Matt goes on sharing Dr. Norton香蕉视频直播檚 history lesson: 香蕉视频直播淲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.香蕉视频直播�

The word stuck, it香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播淎香蕉视频直播� word for years. Here are some quotes I香蕉视频直播檝e found online:

香蕉视频直播淲hen you use the word 香蕉视频直播榓ccident香蕉视频直播�, it香蕉视频直播檚 like 香蕉视频直播楪od made it happen香蕉视频直播� (Mark Rosekind, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration);

香蕉视频直播淭he word wrongly implies that human decisions and actions have nothing to do with it香蕉视频直播� (Jeff Larason, former Boston traffic reporter, now director of highway safety for Massachusetts);

香蕉视频直播淭he phrase 香蕉视频直播榠t was just an accident香蕉视频直播� serves both as a claim of innocence and as an exoneration.香蕉视频直播� (RoadPeace);

香蕉视频直播淲hen we say 香蕉视频直播榓ccident,香蕉视频直播� 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 weather香蕉视频直播ο憬妒悠抵辈�� (His-Pei Liao).

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

香蕉视频直播淣ot all crashes are 香蕉视频直播榓ccidents香蕉视频直播�. Crimes are not 香蕉视频直播榓ccidents香蕉视频直播�. It香蕉视频直播檚 not an 香蕉视频直播榓ccident香蕉视频直播� when a person makes a decision to drive drunk, distracted, or in a negligent manner. Stop giving criminals a pass by calling it an 香蕉视频直播榓ccident香蕉视频直播�.香蕉视频直播�

A national (United States) to eliminate the 香蕉视频直播淎香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渁ccident香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渁ccident香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渁cts of God香蕉视频直播�, but predictable results of the laws of physics;

Whereas, use of the word 香蕉视频直播渁ccident香蕉视频直播� 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:

香蕉视频直播淐rashes Aren香蕉视频直播檛 Accidents香蕉视频直播�

To eliminate the word 香蕉视频直播渁ccident香蕉视频直播� 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 Canada香蕉视频直播檚 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 won香蕉视频直播檛 be able to see the debate because an example I used for how the 香蕉视频直播淎香蕉视频直播� word would not fit all unintentional occurrences (a sniper target shooting on a crowded beach, 香蕉视频直播渁ccidentally香蕉视频直播� blowing off a child香蕉视频直播檚 head) failed to meet publication standards!

How about we come on board to eliminate the 香蕉视频直播淎香蕉视频直播� 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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