Data from Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) shows that while fewer people have died on Manitoba’s roads so far this year, it’s not all good news.
About a third of the province’s fatal crashes, according to MPI, have been alcohol-related.
“Consuming alcohol and driving is not only illegal, but it’s also a potentially fatal combination as the statistics reflect,” MPI’s Satvir Jatana said in a statement on Monday.
“Alcohol-related deaths are preventable. And with the news of these concerning numbers, there’s no better time for Manitobans to focus on road safety than Canada Road Safety Week.”
The annual awareness campaign, which kicks off Tuesday, is aimed at educating motorists on dangerous behind-the-wheel behaviour, including impaired driving.
According to MPI’s latest numbers, 17 people have been killed in 16 fatal crashes so far in 2020 — slightly down from 19 deaths at this time last year.
At least five of those deaths were alcohol-related, and at least two of those killed weren’t wearing seatbelts.
The first four months of this year also saw two pedestrians killed — a drop from six in 2019, while deaths related to driving off-road vehicles — seven this year — were way up from only one in 2019.
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