Saskatchewan police issue about 3,550 speeding-related tickets in July: SGI

Police in Saskatchewan issued more than 3,550 tickets in July for speed-related offences in and out of work zones across the province, Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) reported on Monday.

With a record-breaking construction season in full swing, July’s traffic safety spotlight highlighted the need for motorists to slow down and exercise additional caution in work zones across the province, SGI said in a press release. In total, police recorded 3,556 “manually enforced speed-related offences” (traffic safety focus results submitted by police as of Aug. 18), including:

• 142 for exceeding the posted speed limit by 35 kilometres an hour (km/h);

• 48 for exceeding the posted speed limit by 50 km/h;

• Two for driving at least twice the posted speed limit;

• 17 for speeding in a construction zone where a highway worker or flag person is present;

• 99 for passing emergency vehicles at more than 60 km/h; and

• 3,248 for other speed-related offences.

Law enforcement officers also issued 100 impaired driving-related offences, 130 tickets for distracted driving (102 of those for cellphone use) and 293 tickets for not using a seatbelt, car seat or booster seat, the release said.

“Speeding and other aggressive driving behaviours not only put motorists and their vehicles at risk, they also needlessly endanger the lives of other drivers and road users,” SGI said in the release. “These risks are magnified in work zones due to the presence of workers, additional road hazards and because traffic can suddenly slow or stop.”

SGI reminded motorists that even if workers are not present, speed limits are reduced to 60 km/h when entering a highway work zone. In municipal areas, work zones will be marked by orange signs indicating that the motorist is entering a road construction area and black and white signs indicating the legal speed limit.