SGI urges caution on the roads over long weekend

For the second spring in a row, roads will likely be less busy over the Easter long weekend because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, SGI is reminding people that it’s still important to be careful while driving.

Tyler McMurchy, the crown corporation’s spokesman, said in an interview that while travel isn’t recommended, people still need to take care if they have to hit the highways.

“The advice that we always give still holds. Driving without any kind of impairment, avoiding distractions, obeying those speed limits and buckling up,” he said.

On any normal year, the chance of dying in a highway crash doubles on a long weekend. However, McMurchy isn’t sure if that number still holds true during the pandemic.

“We did see in 2020 the second lowest number of fatalities in the past six decades overall in Saskatchewan,” he explained.

Still, there may be some other dangers on the road that pop up because of the pandemic.

“Last year, particularly in the spring, we saw a number of reports from police about really high rates of speed. People perhaps using the less busy roads as an excuse to use them as their own personal racetracks … That’s a really bad idea for a number of reasons. The cost of a speeding ticket goes up the faster you go—Even if you don’t get caught by police, excessive speed increases your risk of a severe collision that could wreck your vehicle, or worse, injure or kill you or somebody else,” McMurchy said.

The warm weather forecast this weekend could also play a part in road safety.

“We’re going to see additional vulnerable road users. More pedestrians out, people enjoying the spring weather, people getting their bikes and their motorcycles out as well. You’ll be sharing the road with those folks, so it’s even more important to watch your speed and maintain your awareness of what’s happening on the road,” he said.