Nearly 40 percent of all holiday long weekend road deaths and injuries occur on the Friday, according to Manitoba Public Insurance.
On average, one person is killed and more than 30 others are injured on the Friday leading into a three-day holiday weekend. Sunday and Monday have the smallest proportion of victims per day, according to claims data collected between 2008-2012.
“Innocent lives are being put at risk due to motorists who routinely exhibit high-risk driving behaviours,” said MaryAnn Kempe, Vice-President, Business Development, Communications & Chief Product Officer, Manitoba Public Insurance.
“The statistics confirm many motorists are taking risks on Friday. Road safety should be a priority this Civic Holiday long weekend. There will be higher than normal traffic volume on the roadways. Safety must be a priority.”
Top Five Road Safety Tips:
- Alcohol and driving is a deadly mix. One in three fatal accidents in this province is alcohol related.
- Buckle up. Your chances of being injured or killed in a collision are reduced by more than 50 per cent when you use your seatbelt.
- Reduce speed while in a construction zone. 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.
- Don’t text and drive. It’s against the law. One in four fatal crashes in Manitoba are related to distracted driving.
- Don’t speed. Speeding at-fault drivers are responsible for an average of 22 fatal and 430 injury crashes each year.
