Manitoba RCMP plan annual May long weekend highway blitz

WINNIPEG – The Victoria Day weekend usually brings heavier traffic to Manitoba highways – and a stronger RCMP presence, as well.

RCMP will target the top four killers on Manitoba’s roads as they patrol the highways this weekend: drunk driving, not using a seatbelt, distracted driving and speeding.

“Impaired driving is still the No. 1 cause of fatalities on Manitoba roadways,” RCMP Cpl. Rod Campbell said Friday.

Police are catching a lot of impaired drivers, but that’s not comforting, Campbell said.

“We’re certainly getting a lot on a weekly basis, which is really disconcerting as both a citizen and as a police officer, because they’re still out there.”

As Canada Road Safety Week comes to a close, Campbell also spoke about the need to slow down for emergency workers, including police, paramedics and ambulances and tow-truck operators. New Manitoba legislation requires drivers to slow down and, where possible, move over to the far lane when passing emergency vehicles.

“Slow down. It only takes 15, 20 seconds to pass where we’re at and keep going, but if you don’t make that lane change, you never know what’s going to pop out into that lane beside you,” Campbell said.

Drivers should also make sure their vehicles are mechanically fit before heading out, he said.

Campbell knows the tragic results of poor choices behind the wheel all too well after having to tell parents their son died after he fell asleep driving while heading home from a bar.

“Nothing can train you for going to tell someone, hey, that your beloved one’s not coming home.”