July 26, 2000
Make this a safe July long weekend!

The arrival of July officially signals another summer is here. On a typical July long weekend, four motorists will die on our streets and highways.

ROADWISE TIPS:

  • Don't drink and drive. Four out of 10 fatal accidents in this province are alcohol related.

  • If you're going to drink, have a designated driver, or another option for getting home.

  • Speed kills! Police reported data for Manitoba between 1991 and 1998 indicate on average each
       year, 14 fatal and 531 injury crashes occur that are attributed to at-fault drivers who speed.

  • Leave your headlights on. Other drivers can see you better while out on the highways.

  • Use your seatbelt. Your chances of being injured or killed in a collision are reduced by more than
       50 percent when you take that one extra second to buckle up.

  • Sleep is important. It may be the long weekend, but lack of sleep delays reaction time. In
       Manitoba almost four out of five of the crashes that were found to be fatigue-related were
       single-vehicle crashes.

    © 2000 Manitoba Public Insurance