With warmer weather and drier roads upon us, “D” Division RCMP will be focusing on making this month a safe one for all travelers.
Driving even a few kilometres over the posted speed limit decreases your field of vision and reaction time, and reduces your ability to steer safely around curves or objects on the road. It reduces the effectiveness of safety devices both within (seatbelts, airbags, etc.) and outside (road barriers, bridge rails, etc.) the vehicle. An increase in speed increases the probability of death of injury if there is a crash.
RCMP collision data shows “speed” as a major contributing factor in approximately half of all fatal collisions in rural Manitoba – an average of 44 deaths each year caused by speed-related crashes. The number of speed related fatalities traditionally begins to rise in the spring and stays high throughout the summer months. To help combat this issue, RCMP members throughout Manitoba will be focusing enforcement on speeding during the month of April in an effort to reduce speed related fatal and serious injury motor vehicle collisions.
Travelers should also keep in mind that Manitoba has some of the highest speeding fines in Canada. Traveling 25 km/hr over the posted speed limit will net you a fine of $368. If you choose to speed through a construction zone, the fines become significantly higher. The RCMP in Manitoba charge roughly 19,000 people each year with speed related offences.
Please enjoy the nice weather, but remember to slow down, wear your seat belt and don’t drink and drive.
