Friday is the deadliest day of a holiday long weekend, according to Manitoba Public Insurance.

On average, one person is killed and almost 100 others are injured each long holiday weekend – with 35 per cent of those injuries/deaths taking place on Friday.

“There are typically heavier traffic volumes on the Friday of every long weekend as people head out to their cottage, favourite beach or campground,” said Satvir Jatana, Vice President, Employee and Community Engagement, Manitoba Public Insurance. “It’s at these times in particular when all drivers must stay focused on driving to road and weather conditions, driving within the speed limit, and not driving while distracted or impaired. Seat belts also need to be worn at all times.”

Not only are high-risk driving behaviours illegal in Manitoba, they are also dangerous and can lead to tragic outcomes. In 2019 there were a total of 77 people killed on public roadways, according to Manitoba Public Insurance data. As of July 2020, preliminary data reports 33 people killed on public roadways.

In many cases, these collisions involved dangerous and high risk behaviours, and should serve as a reminder to all Manitobans about the importance of road safety.

Top five road safety tips

  • Don’t text and drive. It’s against the law and attracts five demerits on the Driver Safety Rating scale. More than one in four fatal crashes in Manitoba are related to distracted driving.
  • Don’t drive while impaired by drugs or alcohol. Driving drunk or high slows reaction time and continues to be a major contributor to fatal collisions in Manitoba. It’s also a Criminal offence that can result in severe penalties including jail time.
  • Don’t speed. Speeding at-fault drivers are responsible for deaths of 21 people each year and injure more than 700 others.
  • Buckle up.People not using their seatbelts are 33 times more likely to be killed and two times more likely to be seriously injured in a collision than people using their seatbelt.
  • Slow down in construction zones. Watch for signs as the speed limit will be lower in a construction zone. Follow directions. The flag person helps control the flow of traffic. Follow their directions, including slowing down or stopping.