SASKATOON – It has been a tragic year on Saskatchewan highways.
Two people have been killed in two separate crashes in the past 24 hours, bringing the yearly number to 151.
That matches the all-time high for people killed in one year on provincial roads, which happened in 2001.
“It’s a very unpleasant situation,” said RCMP Sgt. Ron MacRae adding that without a doubt, this year will be the worst on record.
The first crash happened around 2 p.m. on Highway 5 east of Saskatoon when a westbound semi and an eastbound vehicle collided.
The passenger in the vehicle, a 52-year-old woman, was killed in the crash.
Her husband was taken to hospital with undetermined injuries.
Mounties say weather may have been a factor in the crash.
Then this morning, a man was killed after a collision between a minivan and pickup truck on Highway 316 north of Clavet.
The driver of the minivan was declared dead at the scene.
Police say it appears the driver of the minivan lost control on the icy highway.
Although weather and road conditions appear to be factors in the most recent fatalities, RCMP say drunk driving is the greatest contributor to highway fatalities in the province.
“Last Saturday, one of my constables within one 24-hour period, one man was able to make three drunk driving arrests,” said RCMP Sgt. Ron MacRae.
“Two of those were people driving drunk before 10 a.m.”
RCMP and local police will be out in full force over the holiday season with check-stops to nab impaired drivers.
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