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Stay safe and don’t speed this summer

With the May long weekend over, we are now in “summer mode” for traveling, camping and everything else that goes with summertime in Canada, including driving on our highways for summer vacation or to visit family and friends.

With the May long weekend over, we are now in “summer mode” for traveling, camping and everything else that goes with summertime in Canada, including driving on our highways for summer vacation or to visit family and friends.
As drivers hit the road, they should know that the police agencies, such as the RCMP’s traffic services, are going to be vigilant to watch people’s speeds and driving habits.
The flip side of this scenario is that many families and friends are going to be out on the highways also, all of them anxious to get to their destinations, whether for family visits, weddings or to just travel to see the beautiful scenery of Canada, and to enjoy the amenities and attractions at whatever the destination is. Therefore, safety is a huge factor that every driver needs to keep in mind as they head out.
The province’s police agencies, including the Weyburn Police Service and the RCMP, just completed a traffic spotlight in April on speeding, particularly as the fines for speeding increased on May 1.
The base charge for speeding fines increased by $30, plus the per-kilometre-an-hour charge doubled. Speeding through a school zone will cost drivers $310 if they’re 20 km/h over the limit. Encountering construction zones (which is a certainty in the summertime), which in Saskatchewan has a speed limit of 60 km/h in the orange zone, will cost you $440 for driving at 80 km/h, and $1,008 for driving at 100.
While people are anxious to reach their destination and enjoy their time away from home and from work, the bottom line is everyone would like to arrive safely, and then when vacation-time is over, to arrive safely back at home again.
When the roads and highways are busy with transport trucks, family vehicles and RVs and campers, it is more important than ever to be alert and awake to all the moving vehicles, plus watching for other safety factors, such as the weather, road conditions, wildlife, and the actions of other drivers.
While many of these factors are beyond the control of drivers, such as deer appearing unexpectedly on the highway or the erratic moves by an oncoming driver, speed is one very important factor that is in the driver’s control.
In many accidents, no matter what time of year it is, speed is often a factor as a driver goes much faster than is safe for traffic or for the road conditions, and they lose control.
As your vehicle heads out from home to your summer destination, ease off the accelerator and be alert to what is going on around you, so you can enjoy the drive stress-free, and you can arrive safely to enjoy your time of sight-seeing or visiting, and have stories to share when you get back home again.