Unsafe driving behaviours concern Lethbridge construction crews

It’s construction season in Alberta, prompting a safety reminder for motorists.

According to the City of Lethbridge, unsafe behaviour exhibited by drivers has been an issue for construction crews over the past several years.

They have reported experiencing many cases of drivers purposely going through barricades or moving barricades. According to the city, some people are “disrupting work crews” and disregarding signage such as detour notices.

In some cases, licence plates have been reported or police have been called.

READ MORE: Airdrie RCMP, Calgary police remind drivers to slow down in construction zones

Juliane Ruck, Lethbridge’s transportation operations manager, explained the city just wants everyone to be safe as major projects such as the repaving of Mayor Magrath Drive cause traffic interruptions.

“We’ve even had incidents where people drive into zones where our electric department works on hot wires,” she said.

“They are putting our workers at risk, as well as themselves.”

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According to Sgt. Daniel Lomness, who runs the Lethbridge Police Service’s traffic response unit, another big issue is speeding.

Disobeying the rules can have not only safety consequences, but financial ones too.

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“For somebody to go around a barricade, they could be looking at a fine between $162 to $243,” Lomness said.

“Just give yourself a little extra time to get where you need to go (and) expect that there is construction. There is construction all over the city.”

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According to the Alberta Motor Association, dozens of workers and motorists have been injured or killed in construction zones across the province.

Ongoing reminders will be issued throughout the season, with road construction updates made available on the city’s website.