God and red lights

Even God has to stop for red lights at intersections, says Sgt. Mike Tarini, of the North Bay Police Service.

And red lights become even more of a concern during funeral processions, said Tarini, who heads the service’s traffic section.

Tarini and local funeral home owners will be meeting Wednesday to discuss how public safety can be enhanced during funeral processions.

“There’s a whole lack of respect for funeral processions, and people don’t even recognize they should be pulling over and stopping to show respect for the dead,” Tarini said.

Use their discretion
He alluded to a recent incident in Sudbury when a vehicle that was part of a funeral procession was struck by another vehicle as it entered the intersection.

The driver of the first car was killed in the collision.

Tarini said the meeting was prompted by a complaint from a member of a funeral party who had been ticketed by police for speeding through a red light.

There is nothing in the Highway Traffic Act that allows funeral procession vehicles to cross against red lights, Tarini said, and police officers use their discretion in giving out tickets.

At the same time, Tarini said, those in the procession “should be careful” when they are going through a red.

Drive defensively
Many years ago, Tarini said, police provided escorts and controlled traffic for the processions.

“So maybe people who remember that have a false sense of security and aren’t watching as carefully as they enter the intersection,” Tarini said.

Mac Bain, a funeral director with Martyn Funeral Home, said members of funeral parties are asked to “drive defensively.”

He added he can only recall one accident during a funeral procession his funeral home conducted, and it was not the fault of anyone in the procession.

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PHOTO Sgt. Mike Tarini, shown here during the groundbreaking ceremony of a mausoleum which will be built on Golf Club Road.