It was a deadly weekend on Alberta highways.
Three crashes during a one hour period Sunday afternoon resulted in four deaths.
A minivan and an SUV collided on highway 44 near Villeneuve. The driver of the van and a passenger in the SUV were killed. Two other people who were inside the SUV were were taken to hospital. There’s no word on their condition. The driver of the minivan was the lone occupant of the vehicle.
One person died after a crash involving a propane truck on highway 881 near Lac La Biche. The area was closed for several hours as crews cleaned up the scene.
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Boyle RCMP closed a section of highway 63 Sunday, about 30 kilometers north of Wandering River by House River Creek, after a collision on the highway resulted in the death of one person.
Icy road conditions are being blamed in all three crashes. The combination of mild weather and a sudden snow storm created treacherous road conditions. RCMP advised drivers to stay off highways north-east of Edmonton Sunday.
The deadly collisions have prompted a warning to drivers that mild temperatures don’t always mean dry roads.
“I noticed that when I was driving yesterday, where the road itself, there was actual thawing on the roadway and then when you got the slickness of the snow and accumulation and traffic traveling over it, it actually builds up. It’s like a skating rink,” says Alberta Motor Association Spokesperson, Don Szarko.
Unpredictable weather has become more common in Alberta, according to Szarko. It’s something drivers should be prepared to deal with.
“You can start in part of the city and you’ll be on bare and dry roads and by the time you get to the other part you might be in snowy and icy conditions, and the same thing around the province,” explains Szarko.
Szarko recommends staying aware, being prepared, and slowing down when driving in winter conditions.
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