Fridays of long weekends the deadliest days to be on the road

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/07/2014 (3555 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Forty per cent of all long weekend road deaths and injuries occur on Fridays.

Data collected between 2008 and 2012 by Manitoba Public Insurance found that one person is killed, on average, and more than 30 others are injured on the Friday leading into a three-day holiday weekend.

Sunday and Monday have the smallest proportion of victims per day.

“Innocent lives are being put at risk due to motorists who routinely exhibit high-risk driving behaviours,” MaryAnn Kempe, MPI’s vice-president of business development, communications and chief product officer, said in a statement.

“The statistics confirm many motorists are taking risks on Friday. Road safety should be a priority this civic holiday long weekend. There will be higher than normal traffic volume on the roadways.”

MPI issued these top five road-safety tips:

1. Don’t drink. Alcohol and driving is a deadly mix. One in three fatal accidents in Manitoba is alcohol related.

2. Buckle up. The chances of being injured or killed in a collision are reduced by more than 50 per cent by wearing a seat belt.

3. Reduce speed in construction zones. Follow directions and watch for signs. The flag person helps control the flow of traffic. Follow their directions, including slowing down or stopping.

4. Don’t text and drive. It’s against the law. One in four fatal crashes in Manitoba are related to distracted driving.

5. Don’t speed. Speeding drivers are responsible for an average of 22 fatal accidents and 430 crashes resulting in non-fatal injuries annually.