S photo Terry Poters HEAVY TRAFFIC flow over the Lions Gate Bridge is a daily picture. Recent statistics show the accident rate on the three-lane bridge has taken a dramatic increase. Lions Gate Bridge accident rate rises TOO MANY motorists travelling across the tight- laned Lions Gate Bridge during the rush hours is one reason for the shocking number of car accidents on the narrow crossing, say provincial highway depart- roent officials. Figures obtained by the News from West Vancouver District police and Van- couver City police for the number of motor vehicle ac- cidents on Lions Gate tel! an alarming story. Between January of this year and the end of July West Van police recorded 57 separate car accidents along the First Narrows bridge, while in that same period Vancouver police logged 11 mishaps. Police policy for in- vestigating car accidents on the Lions Gate is that West Van police respond to vehi- cle crashes on the north-end while Vancouver police at- tend accidents on the south-portion of the bridge. Because of this split re- sponsibility, and the manner in which accidents are re- corded, exact numbers were not available from the Van- couver police. 127 CARS Of the 57 motor vehicle accidents attended by West Van police, 127 cars were involved. What this means, simply, is that most accidents on Lions Gate were of the multiple vehicle kind. By CHARLES MAYER Interestingly enough, more car collisions occurred during the sunny summer months rather than in the expected slippery months cf winter. According to West Van police data, January had five car accidents involving 11 other vehicles. February, meanwhile, chalked up six car collisions with 13 motor cars involved. However, in June Lions Gate bridge accident totals show !3 motor vehicle acci- dents with 30 cars involved. Likewise for the month of July in which police regis- tered 11 car accidents on First Narrows involving 28 separate vehicles. Vancouver City police figures did not provide a breakdown of the months in which the 11 recorded acci- dents happened nor the number of cars involved in each accident. 22 INJURED West Van police records also showed that of the 127 cars involved in collisions ond the bridge, the number of persons injured in the crashes amounted to 22, A spokesman for the regional highway department located in North Vancouver District says ‘‘most of the accidents on Lions Gate are minor and are property damage type with few inju- ries to drivers or passen- gers,”” Aud the reason so few people are seriously injured, explains the highway department spokesman, is because the traffic moves so slowly across the span dur- ing the rush hour. There is no doubt, he says, that Lions Gate bridge is a high-volume traffic cor- tidor with limited maneu- vering room but this doesn't deter people from tailgating each other. PAY ATTENTION “People should pay atten- tion to the road while driv- ing and not the view afford- ed by the bridge,’’ the of- ficial says. He adds that Lions Gate Bridge is «dequate to handle normal traffic flow patterns and even though the bridge becomes congested during the peak periods, another crossing is not needed at the present time. Hf people are worried about the number of car ac- cidents and injuries on Lions Gate, then ‘they shouldn't follow too closely to the car in front of them,” the official advises. OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT * Tents ; * Sleeping Bags ¢ Camping Accessories * Hiking Boots « Canoes & Acces. * Cotton Shorts, Shirts 20-50% OFF The biggest names in Outdoor Equipment e Goretex Jackets (Stowaway & EG Wear) ¢ Ski Wear (vests & Jackets) 40% ore Polar Fleece Jackets reo. :75 Now °25 Pile Jackets reg. 579 NOW S26 reg. 536 NOW 914 4 /Be Water Wise. Play it Safe. Windsurf ie Always wen Poi- jal Floatarion Device when on the water. ra The Catuntien aS cety Brunswick Lions Gate Lanes 1080 South Park Royal West Van. 10 pin 926-7333 Open Bowling (per person - per game) (special till Sept, 1st) till 7 p.m. daily © NO experience necessary © All ages welcome j < Bring your family & friends ® Let us help you get started rar s Thunderbird Lanes 120 West i6th North Van. 5 & 10 pin 4 = 985-6104