The Labour Day long weekend has the dubious distinction of being the holiday weekend with the highest rate of people killed, according to Manitoba Public Insurance claims data.
“On average, three people are killed over the Labour Day weekend,” said Ward Keith, vice-president, Business Development & Communications and chief product officer, Manitoba Public Insurance. “By raising awareness, we hope to see more drivers exercise caution and eliminate high-risk driving behaviours.”
On average, 29 people are killed yearly on Manitoba roadways due to distracted driving, while another 25 people are killed in alcohol-related crashes. According to Manitoba Public Insurance claims data, the Friday of any Manitoba holiday long weekend experiences the highest number of fatalities and injuries.
“The statistics confirm that road safety needs to be a priority as we head into this Labour Day long weekend. Safety must be a priority,” said Keith.
Top Five Road Safety Tips:
- Don’t text and drive. It’s against the law and now results in five demerits on the Driver Safety Rating scale. About one in three fatal crashes in Manitoba is related to distracted driving.
- Alcohol and driving is a deadly mix. More than one in four fatal accidents in this province is alcohol-related.
- Buckle up. People not using their seatbelts are 26 times more likely to be killed and two times more likely to be seriously injured in a collision than people using their seatbelts.
- Don’t speed. Speeding at-fault drivers are responsible for an average of 20 fatal and 390 injury crashes each year.
- 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.
