News - MPI

A 60-something driver holds the dubious distinction of becoming the first person to receive a seven-day driver licence suspension for using a smartphone while driving. Manitoba’s new distracted driving laws took effect November 1.

Manitoba Public Insurance is warning its customers not to respond to a text which is offering an e-transfer of money.

Impaired driving accounted for close to half of the deaths on Manitoba roadways last year, according to Manitoba Public Insurance.

Manitoba Public Insurance reported net income of $87.4 million for the first nine months of its fiscal year ending November 30, 2018 – an increase of $26.1 million over the same time period last year.

It’s estimated that auto insurance fraud costs every Manitoba Public Insurance ratepayer about $50 a year for an overall impact of $50 million. In order to raise awareness about the costs related to auto insurance fraud, Manitoba Public Insurance releases its annual top five fraud list.

With the holiday season now upon us, Manitobans are reminded impaired driving is not exclusive to over-use of alcohol. Impairment by drugs also impacts concentration, reaction time and driving ability – an issue now magnified by the legalization of non-medical cannabis use in Canada.

The number one cause of auto theft in Manitoba is the use of vehicle keys. Last year in Manitoba, more than 3,100 vehicles were stolen – 90 per cent involving the use of keys.

The Manitoba government will move forward with a broad consultation with industry and other affected stakeholders on mandatory entry-level training (MELT) for truck drivers in the province.

As of the end of November, 237 Manitoba drivers have had their driver’s licence suspended – for the minimum three-day period – since Manitoba’s new distracted driving law took effect November 1.

A bad weather day in Manitoba – freezing rain, blowing and drifting snow, white-out conditions – can result in more than 1,000 collisions over a 24-hour period, according to Manitoba Public Insurance.