Canada Province Gears Up Traffic Safety Campaign

On June 20 and 21, law enforcement across Saskatchewan, a prairie province in Canada, will again be targeting two main traffic safety concerns – seatbelt use and using cellphones while driving – in addition to motorcycle safety.

“We know lack of seatbelt use and distracted driving are two major factors for fatalities and collisions on our roads, so it makes sense to again focus on those issues,” said Andrew Cartmell, president and CEO of SGI, the province’s self-sustaining auto insurance fund. “However, as a follow up to Motorcycle Safety Week in May, we want to again remind motorists the importance of sharing the road with motorcycles, as well as remind motorcyclists the importance of proper gear and the benefits of training.”

Last year in Saskatchewan there were 289 collisions involving motorcycles, resulting in 205 injuries and four fatalities.

“Some motorists aren’t getting the message about the dangers of cellphone use while driving, in spite of recent, tragic collisions, attributed to distracted driving,” said Regina Police Chief Troy Hagen, on behalf of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police. “With summer’s approach and a higher volume of traffic, including motorcycles, on our roadways, we all need to be more attentive drivers. Drive as if your life depended on it – because it does.”

More than 1,300 tickets were issued during May’s impaired driving traffic safety blitz, Operation Overdrive, more than 100 of which were for alcohol-related offenses.

Source: Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI)