Police preach safe driving over May Long Weekend as fatal collisions spike

The May Long Weekend will see lots of drivers out on the roads and highways of Saskatchewan, and police are encouraging everyone to stay safe as fatal collisions spike in the province.

Superintendent Grant St. Germaine, who leads traffic services for the Saskatchewan RCMP, said Mounties are dealing with a major increase in fatal crashes in 2024.

“As of May 9, Saskatchewan RCMP and Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan have investigated 19 fatal collisions in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction this year,” St. Germaine said in a statement.

“This is a 90% increase in fatal collisions compared to the 10 that were reported at the same time last year.”

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While many of the cases are under investigation with the causes still undetermined. St. Germaine said police want to curb the trend.

“Given the anticipated increase in traffic as we head into the long weekend, I encourage all motorists to make safe choices when they are behind the wheel,” he said. “We all have a part to play in keeping Saskatchewan’s roads as safe as possible.”

The RCMP encouraged drivers to ensure everyone in the vehicle is buckled up, keep cell phones out of reach while behind the wheel, and plan for a designated driver if anyone will be impaired. If you encounter a suspected impaired driver, police said to pull over immediately and call 911.

Police will be out on the roads over the long weekend enforcing the laws, the RCMP added.

“When approaching a check stop, slow down and follow the directions of police officers on scene.”

In April, RCMP in Saskatchewan started screening all drivers stopped by officers for alcohol using a roadside test.