There’s an old joke that there are only two seasons in Saskatchewan; winter and road construction. But law enforcement weren’t joking around when they wrote 224 tickets for violations in work zones in July.
Disobeying speed limits in highway construction zones is a serious concern. Passing highway workers -- or highway equipment with its warning lights flashing -- in a marked construction zone means drivers are required to slow to 60 km/h or the posted speed limit. For July, police across Saskatchewan reported:
- 195 tickets were issued for exceeding 60 km/h when passing highway workers or occupied highway equipment within a work zone,
- 15 tickets were issued for exceeding 60 km/h when passing a highway worker or flag person,
- 2 tickets for exceeding 60 km/h when passing occupied highway equipment,
- 4 tickets for exceeding 60 km/h when passing highway equipment with warning lights in operation, and
- 8 tickets for failing to obey the directions of a flag person.
The July Traffic Safety Spotlight focused on providing a safe working environment for the people who build and fix our roads. Watch this video with Shantel Lipp of the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association where she explains the perils faced by construction workers from speeding and reckless drivers.
Summer is not over, and neither is construction season. Speeding through construction zones results in extra-expensive tickets (driving 100 km/h in a 60 km/h orange zone will cost the offender $1,008), so when you #SeeOrangeSlowDown and use the few extra moments of your journey to think about all the things you can do with the money you didn’t have to spend on a ticket.
Law enforcement also reported the following results in July:
• 7,333 other aggressive driving or speeding offences;
• 798 distracted driving offences, including 684 for cellphone use while driving; and
• 609 seatbelt and child restraint offences. (If you’re not wearing a seatbelt, you greatly increase your risk of being ejected like this -- and seriously hurt or killed -- in a collision.
Police also reported 474 impaired driving offences in July, including 382 Criminal Code offences. While impaired driving collisions, injuries and fatalities in Saskatchewan have declined over the past decade, the fight against impaired driving is not over, and enforcement remains very strong. SGI and law enforcement continue to focus on impaired driving with the August Traffic Safety Spotlight. However you choose to enjoy the final days of summer, always ensure you make a plan for a safe ride home.
Join SGI on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram where the discussion will continue with Saskatchewan drivers who want to #DriveSober.
