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Every year in Manitoba about 120 people die on our roadways. With today marking the beginning of Manitoba Road Safety Week -- which runs from May 13 to 19 -- Manitoba’s 700,000 motorists are being encouraged to evaluate their driving habits.
“At the start of the busy summer driving season, we need to remind ourselves that many crashes, fatalities and injuries could be prevented if drivers changed their behaviour behind the wheel,” said Clif Eden, Road Safety Manager for Manitoba Public Insurance.
“Any time someone decides to drink and drive, speed or just fail to signal, they potentially threaten the lives of others. Every year at this time, we join forces with law enforcement to raise awareness of this important truth.”
One of the awareness activities to be launched during Road Safety Week is SpeedWatch, an annual program carried out in partnership with community volunteers. Armed with large speed reader boards, concerned citizens will once again take to Manitoba streets and roadways to make neighbours aware of how fast they are driving.
Beefed-up traffic enforcement is also part of this year’s awareness campaign. Manitoba Public Insurance is once again funding the RoadWatch program, which provides funding for police to conduct additional impaired driving roadside checks throughout the summer. Motorists can expect to see checkstops beginning this long weekend.
“We will be increasing our presence on the roadways so more Manitobans can be safe while driving,” says Sgt. Wayne Blackmore, RCMP Traffic Services. “RoadWatch is traditionally launched at the beginning of the May long weekend, when alcohol-related crashes are more likely to occur. Many deaths and injuries on our roads at this time of year are totally preventable.”
RoadWatch checkstops are carried out by the RCMP and police services from Brandon, Winnipeg, Morden, Winkler and Dakota Ojibway. Last year between May 1 to November 30, RoadWatch screened more than 32,000 vehicles at 238 roadside locations.
These checks resulted in:
- 110 impaired driving charges (Criminal Code and 24-hour suspensions)
- 119 charges under the Liquor Control and Controlled Drug Substance Act
- 1,349 Highway Traffic Act Offences issued to motorists.
“Speed and impaired driving are our two most serious road safety problems,” Eden explained. “In 2007 there were 138 traffic-related deaths in Manitoba. About one-third of those were alcohol related, while speed-related fatalities accounted for about 26 per cent.”
Manitoba Road Safety Week is declared every year in support of National Road Safety Week, which is sponsored by Transport Canada and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. The week is part of Road Safety Vision 2010, a country-wide effort to make Canada's roads the safest in the world by 2010.
“The timing of Road Safety Week has been strategically chosen, as it takes us into the first summer long weekend,” said Eden. “More people are traveling and traffic crashes are more frequent. Drivers can arrive at their destinations safely by making some minor driving adjustments.”
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Contact:
Manitoba Public Insurance
Media Relations
(204) 985-7000 or 1-888-554-9549 (toll-free) |
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