Manitoba RCMP and Winnipeg police are asking everyone to slow down and stay safe on Manitoba roads this summer. (WPS Handout)
Winnipeg police and Manitoba RCMP marked the beginning of Canada Road Safety Week Tuesday at the site of a fatal crash, with a plea for people to slow down on the roads this summer.
Police held a press conference on the Perimeter Highway south, where four people died after a drunk driver on the wrong side of the road smashed into an oncoming vehicle.
All the people in both vehicles died.
“We need to be honest: this is not about education anymore,” said Insp. Joe Telus, Officer in Charge of RCMP Traffic Services.
“People know to avoid high-risk driving behaviours. They know to slow down, buckle up, pay attention to the road, and drive sober. At this point, it is time to realize this is about people making choices, and some of those choices have cost people their lives.”
Last year, 71 people died on Manitoba highways, and nine people died on Winnipeg streets.
“We have already responded to six motor vehicle fatalities in Winnipeg this year,” says Insp. Doug Roxburgh, commander of the Winnipeg Police Service Traffic Division.
“There were nine in all of 2021. This is a concerning trend.”
“Some of that has to do with increased traffic volumes, but it also reflects some of those seemingly small decisions motorists make that have a big impact on our roadways. The decisions drivers make don’t just affect them. They can affect their passengers, other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.”
