Road safety was stressed during an annual traffic blitz in Estevan last week.
Along with the continuing focus on traffic safety around Estevan, local police services engaged in a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) summer enforcement blitz on Aug. 27 and 28. With police out in full force, thanks to added personnel from police agencies across the province, 198 tickets were handed out for various traffic infractions.
The blitz netted 102 traffic tickets on the first afternoon, with violations involving anything from sunscreen to failure to wear a seat belt, and there were also two criminal code charges for possession of a controlled substance under 30 grams. One vehicle was seized for 30 days because the driver was suspended. During the second day of the blitz, police issued 96 tickets. Another focus of the blitz was regarding child safety seats and there were more than 50 safety inspections on child seats on Day 1, with a further 63 inspections on the final day.
Estevan Police Service Sergeant Kevin Reed said the figures match up with the expectations of the local police force.
"It's consistent with the blitzes that we've had in Estevan," said Reed, who noted in the past it's normal for there to be about 200 tickets issued. "I don't think it's any greater and nothing more than what we expected. We didn't expect a big difference."
The city-wide blitz involved the Estevan Police Service as well as the Estevan traffic services of the local RCMP detachment, along with officers from Regina PS, Saskatoon PS, North Battleford RCMP, Moose Jaw PS, Swift Current RCMP, Yorkton RCMP, Weyburn RCMP, CN police officers, highway transport officers from revenue enforcement inspection and safety, and car seat inspectors trained by SGI. About 50 officers in all were in Estevan to help execute the blitz.
Reed said following the blitz that having those personnel numbers really helps the local police put a greater amount of focus on high traffic areas.
"We can cover a wide range of offences because of the fact the members are focused on traffic with no distractions. These are traffic service members, so that's their specialty," said Reed. "The members form these police services and detachments, that's what they do on a daily basis, so they're all focused directly on traffic safety.
"It nets in a lot more offenders that way. (At times) you have one cellphone operator stopped and three others drive by talking on their cellphone. It's sometimes frustrating, whereas in this case they would all get stopped and issued tickets."
Police were most concerned with speeding, seatbelt use, cellphone use, unlicensed drivers and commercial vehicle enforcement. Criminal offences such as impaired driving were also high in the priority list.
"We targeted the majority of the entrances to the city and also some of the intersections with high traffic," added Reed. "A couple of the locations were based on specific targets."
When looking at car seat enforcement, the police targeted Petterson Drive and King Street, an intersection that enabled them to get motorists off the street where car seat inspections could be completed safely and staff could educate drivers on how to properly install the child restraints.
"The bigger areas right now are distracted drivers, that's a big focus, and restraints," said Reed, citing the new traffic regulations that came into effect earlier this summer, pointing to the changes in restraints for young children.
"The law came into effect in June and we did the month of July for positive reinforcement and education where it wasn't a matter of issuing tickets, and people were just informed that their children are improperly secured in the vehicle. Now in August, the enforcement has started."
Reed said the blitz in Estevan was scheduled at the start of the year, and Estevan just happened to be the city with the first blitz following the new regulations.
Commercial trucks were also checked on the outskirts of the city. Tickets were issued for vehicles that were overweight, had unregistered trailer lights and log books. Six units were taken off the road for deficiencies.
