Yorkton police will be out in full force February 14 and 15 to promote traffic safety at intersections.
The monthly traffic blitz sponsored by SGI is dubbed Operation Crossroads and will see law enforcement agencies across the province paying extra attention to motorists or pedestrians violating traffic laws at intersections, such as failing to yield to pedestrians or oncoming traffic, disobeying stop signs or traffic lights, and jaywalking.
"There are more than 29,000 collisions on Saskatchewan roads each year and more than 40 per cent of them take place at intersections," said Andrew Cartmell, president and CEO of SGI. "We want to remind motorists and pedestrians to pay attention to both other vehicles and the basic rules of the road, especially at high-traffic areas such as intersections."
Chief Troy Hagen president of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police said intersections are particularly dangerous because side impact collisions have greater potential for injury and death.
"When vehicles approach each other at right angles, it is imperative that drivers obey traffic signals and follow the rules of the road, to do otherwise often brings a tragic result."
Saskatchewan motorists are involved in approximately 13,000 collisions at intersections annually, resulting in nearly 4,000 injuries and 37 fatalities.
Of course, just because cops are targeting intersection offences doesn't mean they won't be handing out tickets for other infractions.
Last year, distracted driving, which included cell phone use, surpassed drunk driving as the leading cause of collisions in Saskatchewan.
Police officers issued 168 tickets during Operation Hang Up, Buckle Up, the January traffic blitz, including 50 for improper or non-seatbelt use and 33 for cell phone use while driving.
