"When you're standing by the side of the highway and a vehicle passes you traveling at the speed limit, or higher, its very intimidating," shares Sgt. Erin Lockyer of RCMP Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan (CTSS) for Yorkton, Broadview and Fort Qu'Appelle. "The faster the passing vehicle is going and the bigger it is, like a semi, it creates almost a vacuum where you feel like you are going to get sucked down the highway with them. I was a Collision Reconstructionist for 15+ years and I know all too well what a vehicle can do to a pedestrian."
A two-day joint traffic safety initiative took place on April 27 and 28 on major highways around the communities of Yorkton and Melville. "The focus was to identify vehicles passing emergency vehicles at speeds higher than 60 km/hr," said Sgt. Lockyer. "Education is critical, especially in spring when traffic volumes increase. We want to have this safety message stick with motorists throughout the coming seasons."
Secondary enforcement focused on impaired driving, suspended drivers, unregistered vehicles, no or misuse of restraints, among others. During the above noted time period:
- There were 127 contacts made with members of the public
- 57 warnings issued to drivers for various driving-related offences
- 22 tickets issued for failure to slow to 60 km/hr when passing emergency vehicles with their emergency equipment activated, along with multiple warnings
- 12 speeding tickets issued
- 12 notices issued for a required vehicle inspection
- 9 commercial vehicle inspections occurred
- 2 tickets issued for unregistered vehicles
- 2 tickets for drivers with learners' licenses not having a supervisor driver present with them
- 1 ticket issued for cell phone use while driving
- 1 ticket issued for driving without due care and attention
"There was an enforcement presence on highways around Yorkton and Melville, but also towards the communities of Theodore and Bredenbury. For special equipment, officers also had access to a variety of new child seats to give away, should a related safety situation arise and oral fluid devices, to test driver's saliva for the presence of cannabis," said Sgt. Lockyer. "In this instance, RCMP CTSS and area detachments partnered with CN Police and Saskatchewan Highway Patrol. Joint force initiatives for slow to 60 are very important to show support for each other. It's a reminder to the public that slow to 60 applies to ALL police – from city police, rail police, to conservation, highway patrol and beyond."