This is no joke: Alberta RCMP April focus on speed

Vermilion RCMP would like to remind drivers the traffic safety focus for the month of April is speed.

It’s easy for drivers to fall into the temptation of speeding to save a few minutes off their drive. However, speeding can be dangerous.

Speeding increases the risk of a collision occurring and the higher the speed, the more severe that collision will be.

When road and weather conditions are unfavourable, drivers should remember to adjust their speed accordingly. Driving at a safe speed, whatever the conditions, increases the safety of everyone on the road.

“Alberta RCMP Traffic is committed to enhancing public safety by reducing harm and hazardous behaviours on Alberta roadways through strategic partnerships, enforcement, education and crime reduction initiatives. “ said Cpl. Trevor Schmidt of the Alberta RCMP St. Paul/Vermilion Traffic Services Unit.

Speed Facts

• In 2020 in Alberta, 57 people were killed and 1,128 were injured in collisions involving at least one driver travelling at an unsafe speed (ie. a speed too great for the given conditions).

• More than one in four fatal collisions involved one or more speeding drivers.

• Based on rates per 10,000 licensed operators, drivers aged 20-24 were more likely to have been speeding at the time of a collision than drivers in older age groups.

“When we are looking at rural Saskatchewan, potentially mom and dad can’t make it to the library if it’s only open three days a week if mom and dad are at work.”

Croke says the program really takes a lot of the pressure away from parents to be able to sit down and read to their kids.

She says the Learning Council as an affiliate covers the cost of the shipping and Dolly Parton, the American country music icon, covers the purchase of the books.

• Speeding may cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle. Drivers involved in casualty collisions who travelled at an unsafe speed were three times as likely to run off the road as drivers who were not speeding.

• Speeding increases the distance needed to safely stop a vehicle.

“She is the funder of the books,” stressed Croke.

“The books are handled by our federal partner. They come out of Ontario and they are mailed by them.

Once you get the book you get to keep it.”

Croke says families in Saskatchewan can register for the program at the Learning Council website at lloydlearningcouncil.ca or drop into the office and sign up.

The program kicked off at the Learning Council in September 2022.

For example, on a dry road, it takes an average vehicle travelling 40 km/h about 26 metres to stop and at 80 km/h, it would take about 69 metres.

- Speeding past emergency vehicles with their lights flashing results in fines that are double the price.

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The first book takes about eight to deliver due to administrative processing.

Croke says the Imagination Library is the latest of many programs the Learning Council provides.

“We wear a lot of different hats here. Our mandate is we promote life-long learning in Lloydminster and area from birth to seniors,” she said.

“So we have family literacy, seniors’ programming; we are welcoming to newcomers and we have a lot of English language programming.”