A visible class of drivers in Saskatchewan aren’t following road signs and are disobeying general traffic laws. Speeding violations are a noteworthy concern in this province, but in general, irresponsible driving techniques of all kinds have created precarious road conditions for the majority of unsuspecting motorists as they travel throughout the province.
During the weekend, as I was driving along Highway Two to Moose Jaw, a speeding truck coming from the south emerged into my lane heading north after passing the vehicle in front. Within seconds, the truck nearly met my car head on. Moments before the pick-up steamrolled over my Ford compact, the truck careened off the road, drove along the ditch to the right, then popped back up onto the road and nonchalantly continued southwards.
More than a few Saskatchewan drivers are suffering from speed addictions. SGI reported a surplus of more than 124,000 convictions related to speeding in 2016. Consider the math – in Saskatchewan, there are nearly 800,000 licenced drivers, so according to SGI’s estimates, this meant one speeding ticket had been given for every 6.5 drivers in the province.
The rules against speeding in the province are fairly clear. In Saskatchewan, drivers can receive tickets and fines if they’ve gone over the maximum speed limit on highway signs or signs at a park entrance. The Traffic Safety Act will also fine and charge drivers if they’re going 35-49 kilometres per hour over the speed limit, 50 kilometres over the limit and double or more than the posted speed limit. Also, drivers will be fined and charged for speeding if they hitting the accelerator with a lead foot in situations when it’s not reasonably safe to do so. Additionally, speeding in school zones will net fines and charges. Finally, drivers are reminded not to go over 60 kilometres per hour when passing a stopped emergency vehicle, highway worker, flag person, snowplow, tow truck or highway equipment whenever warning lights are flashing.
Most of the rules against speeding and reckless driving equate to decisions based on common sense. Yet, although the base fines and penalties are continuing to increase for speeding and reckless driving, some motorists are still racing along the province’s streets and roadways as if they were participating in a hot rod battle.
Also, in bringing this message closer to home, a handful of Assiniboian drivers are displaying negligent driving skills as they careen in speeding vehicles on the town’s streets and avenues. A local RCMP constable at a town hall meeting this month said there were too many traffic violations committed in Assiniboia during the winter of 2020 and there’s statistics to prove the officer’s conclusion.
At the beginning of the year, 16 speeding tickets along with nine warnings and traffic tickets were given from January 6-12 in Assiniboia. Continuing into January, three speeding tickets, 16 warnings and tickets related to other violations were dispensed from January 13-19 by the local RCMP. The bad news prolonged into the next month, as 11 speeding tickets, three warning tickets and one collision happened from February 10-16. For a relatively small town, these figures in deficient motoring skills aren’t justifiable by any measure.
