With the arrival of spring weather and most highways free of snow and ice, the RCMP is issuing a reminder to drivers to avoid the temptation of driving too fast.
The RCMP says that even in good road conditions, driving above the posted speed limit increases the risk of collision and serious injuries should a crash occur.
The Mounties say last year in Alberta they issued over 60,000 speeding tickets, including 761 for excessive speeding which means the drivers were clocked at doing 50 km/hr or more over the posted speed limit.
April is the month when the RCMP often issues the most speeding tickets, including last year when officers handed out 93 tickets for excessive speeding.
“April is the start of speeding season,” says RCMP Sgt. Darrin Turnbull. “Excessive speed shows a pattern that has a relationship to clear roads, good weather, and typically occurring at peak travel times for families.”
The RCMP says according to Alberta Transportation, approximately one in four fatal collisions involve unsafe speeds with more than half of them happening in rural areas.
To help drivers avoid a costly ticket or being involved in an accident, the RCMP is offering up some tips including, don’t rush and make sure to leave lots of time to get to your destination, respect the posted speed limit, especially in high traffic areas like playgrounds and construction zones, drive to the road conditions and if you are a passenger in a speeding vehicle, don’t be afraid to speak up and tell the driver to slow down.
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