Okay, so what we have this week is not technically a long weekend, due to that pesky Friday wedging itself in between July 1 and Saturday.
Let’s not get hung up on technicalities. Summer is here, and there will be plenty of people starting their weekend early and hitting the road. With more traffic comes an increased risk of collision.
SGI is sharing the following tips to help people have a safe summer road trip.
Don’t drive distracted. No selfie, text or TikTok video is worth the $580 ticket you can get for using your phone while driving. (That’s for a first offence, by the way. A second offence will cost you $1,400 and get your vehicle impounded for a week). Set the road trip playlist and search the best route before you leave, then mount your phone on the dash, and leave it alone until you get there. If that’s too tempting, use one of these other tactics to keep it out of sight, and out of your hands.
Buckle up. This video simulating a rollover at highway speeds is why you need to wear a seatbelt. While this may seem like common sense, considering that seatbelts have been the law for more than four decades, far too many people still make the choice to not buckle up. Sadly, those people are significantly overrepresented in traffic fatality statistics. Even if you think you’re the world’s best driver, collisions can happen due to factors beyond your control. Wearing a seatbelt reduces your risk of being injured or killed in a crash by as much as 50 per cent. Drivers, it’s your responsibility to make sure all the passengers under 16 are properly restrained, and you can get a separate $175 ticket for each one who isn’t.
Drive sober. Last month, police caught 507 impaired drivers in Saskatchewan, which prompted SGI to issue a gentle reminder that impaired driving is still illegal. If your long weekend plans include the consumption anything that might impair you, please make a plan for a safe ride home. While cannabis is legal, there is zero tolerance for drug-impaired driving. With alcohol, penalties for experienced drivers start at .04 BAC with three-day licence suspensions and vehicle impoundments. That’s probably not how you want to kick off a weekend.
Obey speed limits. Over the last couple of months, police have written an average of one speeding ticket approximately every six minutes. Want to avoid being the recipient of one of those tickets? It’s simple. Obey posted speed limits.
See orange? Slow down. Summer is construction season in Saskatchewan and you’re likely to encounter an orange zone, no matter where your travels take you. Speeding tickets are extra expensive in construction zones, so reduce your speed to 60 km/h as you’re passing highway workers and equipment. And when you encounter a lane closure in a construction zone, #EmbraceTheZipperMerge to ensure that traffic flows quickly and efficiently. (You wouldn’t choose the longer line in a double-lane drive-through, would you? Why do it on the highway?)
From all of us at SGI, have a great summer. Take care out there.
