While the Canada Day holiday is a time of celebration, it also has the dubious distinction of having the second highest number of road deaths among all holiday weekends, according to Manitoba Public Insurance.
For the five-year period of 2006 to 2010, the Canada Day holiday had a total of nine road fatalities. On average, nearly 207 people are injured over the Canada Day holiday period.
The two worst holiday periods on Manitoba roadways are Labour Day and Thanksgiving – with each holiday having a total of 11 deaths from 2006-2010.
“We’re asking Manitobans to practise road safety this upcoming weekend,” said Ward Keith, executive director, Driver Safety & Regulatory Control, Manitoba Public Insurance.
“Canada Day should be a happy and safe celebration for all Manitobans. We know traffic volume increases over the summer holiday weekends. More than ever, road safety needs to be a priority for motorists during these peak traffic periods.”
About one third of all road fatalities in Manitoba are alcohol related, said Keith. As a leader of road safety in the province, Manitoba Public Insurance is committed to reducing the number of alcohol-related deaths and yearly funds the annual RoadWatch program, in addition to MADD Canada’s high school assembly video program.
Currently in its 14th year, RoadWatch combines increased law enforcement with a public awareness campaign aimed at reducing both the human and economic costs of impaired driving crashes.
Canada Day Safety Tips:
• Don’t drink and drive. Arrange for a designated driver or take a taxi.
• Watch your speed. In 2010, there were 1,078 collisions involving a speeding driver, resulting in 23 people killed and 434 people injured, including 43 with serious injuries.
• Use your seatbelt. Your chances of being injured or killed in a collision are reduced by more than 50 per cent when you take that one extra second to buckle up.
