Manitoba Public Insurance and partners raising awareness about high-collision intersections in Winnipeg

Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI), the City of Winnipeg, the Winnipeg Police Service and CAA Manitoba have joined forces for a two-year pilot program designed to enhance motorists’ awareness of Winnipeg’s “Top 5” collision intersections.

Nearly 10,000 collisions have taken place at these intersections over the last decade, MPI said in a press release on Thursday. Winnipeg’s No. 1 collision intersection is Leila/McPhillips with 2,326 collisions. Rounding out the Top 5 are Kenaston/McGillivray (2,298 collisions), Kenaston/Grant (1,747 collisions), Lagimodiere/Regent (1,700 collisions) and Bishop Grandin/St. Mary’s (1,546 collisions). Collision data was collected from 2005-2014.

The new awareness program – which kicked off on Thursday – will leverage a mix of intersection signage, dedicated police enforcement and general public awareness at three of the five intersections: Kenaston/McGillivray, Bishop Grandin/St. Mary’s and Leila/McPhillips. The installation of roadway signage on approaches to high-collision intersections is aimed to heighten awareness about collision risk and the need to proceed through these intersections cautiously, the release noted.

Signage alerting motorists that they are approaching a high-collision intersection with a secondary message of ‘Don’t Follow Too Close’ will be conspicuously placed on all approaches at Kenaston/McGillivray and Leila/McPhillips for the duration of the two year pilot project.

“Research also demonstrates that road safety education and awareness efforts are most effective when accompanied by visible enforcement,” said Ward Keith, vice president, business development and communications and chief product officer, MPI. “That’s why we are pleased that the Winnipeg Police Service and CAA Manitoba are joining this initiative to help keep motorists safe.”

Special enforcement – to be funded by MPI – will occur for the first year of the project at Kenaston/McGillivray and Bishop Grandin/St. Mary’s.

MPI noted that rear-end collisions accounted for more than 50% of total collisions, according to analysis of collision configurations at these intersections. “We all know how long it takes to break a bad habit, and that’s why we’re pleased this two-year pilot project will remind motorists to practice safe driving every day,” said CAA Manitoba’s president and CEO, Mike Mager.

Keith said that many collisions, particularly rear-end ones, can be prevented by “driving to conditions, entering busy intersections with caution, and not following too close by practicing the three- to four-second rule when following the vehicle ahead of you. This distance allows sufficient time to stop and avoid a collision.”