Speeding and aggressive driving are the focus of April’s traffic safety spotlight in Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) and Saskatoon Police Service kicked off the month-long spotlight with some friendly competition on Friday via Mario Kart at the Ruckers Amusement Centre on 22nd Street in Saskatoon.
Saskatoon police Sgt. Paul Pitzel and SGI spokesperson Tyler McMurchy put their driving skills to the test in a friendly video game showdown.
SGI said the idea was to drive home the point that anyone who feels the need to speed should stick to video games, because speeding on Saskatchewan roads carries serious, real-life consequences.
“There’s no need to speed. Speeding isn’t cool or edgy; it’s dangerous and unnecessary,” Penny McCune, chief operating officer of the Auto Fund, said in a press release.
“If you want to drive at high speeds, we suggest playing a video game. In real life, speeding can get you in trouble fast, leaving less time to react. There are serious consequences: legal, financial, and worse.”
According to SGI’s 2015-17 average, speed-related collisions are responsible for 21 deaths every year in the province.
Law enforcement agencies across Saskatchewan will be keeping an eye out for motorists who are speeding or exhibiting aggressive driving behaviours throughout April.
Driving 20 kilometres per hour over the speed limit on a regular road can cost a motorist $190. The cost of the ticket goes up for every km/h they’re over the limit, and speeding in school zones or construction zones where workers are present carries more severe penalties.
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