Over the first four months of this year, there have been 10 fatal crashes on Manitoba public roadways, significantly lower than the 10-year average (2011-2020) of 17 for the same time period, according to Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI).

“While one death is too many, this decrease suggests we are making progress in raising the importance of road safety and identifying those high-risk driving behaviours which drivers must eliminate,” said Satvir Jatana, vice-president, Employee and Community Engagement, Manitoba Public Insurance. “There is no better time to highlight the importance of road safety as we enter into the May holiday long weekend which is the official launch of our annual RoadWatch program. RoadWatch supplements existing police enforcement efforts and will result in enhanced police presence on Manitoba streets and highways, particularly on holiday weekends.”

After the first four months in 2021 MPI preliminary data reports:

  • 10 fatal crashes on Manitoba’s public roadways, resulting in 12 people killed; compared to the 10 year (2011-2020) average of 17 fatal crashes and 18 people killed.
  • There were two pedestrians killed in the first four months of 2021, the same amount for the same time period last year.
  • There was one Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) fatality in the first four months of 2021, compared to seven in the same period of 2020, and the five year (2016-2020) average of five.

Who is driving impaired?

  • Young males make up the majority of those involved in impaired collisions. Males account for three-quarters of impaired drivers involved in crashes.
  • Drivers under age 35 (all genders) account for nearly two-thirds of impaired drivers involved in crashes. Drivers under the age of 35 have a rate of involvement in impaired driving crashes that is more than four times that of drivers age 35 and older.

Now in its 24th year, five police agencies will participate in RoadWatch, including the RCMP, Winnipeg, Brandon, Morden, and Winkler. Over the last five years, close to 300 impaired offences have been issued. In addition, on average, 1,800 provincial offenses (non-impaired) are issued by roadside officers.