RCMP responded to more fatalities

Details

Published on Friday, January 15, 2016

By Bert Paquet

Media Relations

While the last several years brought a steady decrease in the numbers of fatal collisions and deaths on our roads, 2015 saw those numbers slightly increase. There were 70 fatal collisions on Manitoba roadways resulting in 79 deaths, slightly more than 2014 with 69 fatal collisions resulting in 74 deaths.

Of the 70 fatal collisions in 2015 63 were roadway crashes (59 in 2014), seven were off-road vehicle crashes (nine in 2014), six of the fatal collisions involved pedestrians or cyclists, and five of the fatal collisions involved motorcycles. The five-year average (2010-14) for fatal collisions is 78.6 with 88 deaths.

There are three RCMP districts in our province; 32 collisions were in the eastern district, 30 in the western district and eight in the northern district. 

We have also tabulated contributing factors for these collisions:

• In 46 per cent, speed or driving too fast for road conditions was cited as a contributing factor.

• In 40 per cent of the collisions, impairment by alcohol or drugs was involved, which is five per cent less than 2014.

• Seven cases of impairment involved drugs (two in 2014).

• 40 per cent of the deceased were not wearing seatbelts (down from 48 per cent in 2014).

• Four fatal collisions involved a driver using a hand-held electronic device or cell phone while driving as a possible contributing factor.

This past year our officers have come upon too many tragedies and deaths, caused by the actions of drivers that chose to drive recklessly or impaired. It is a continuing tragedy that so many Manitobans lose their lives on our roadways every year and that in so many cases, these collisions are preventable. We ask all Manitobans [to] help us make our roads safer: take some extra time to get to your destination; be sober and alert; slow down; put away your cell phone; and buckle-up when driving. Do it for you and for the ones you love