A number of vehicle collisions have left the RCMP extremely busy over the past week.
Icy weather conditions continue to plague motorists, making it one of the worst winters for driving in the area in the past few years.
“I’ve been with the detachment four years and I’d say this is probably the busiest winter for accidents,” Moose Jaw RCMP Corporal Alan VanThuyne told the TImes-Herald. “We’ve seen the weather change back and forth from warmer to cooler temperatures, and the constant moisture is leaving icy conditions.”
He said once the highways get warmer during the day, drivers are met by a new sheet of ice once the temperatures drop into the night.
“It creates the perfect storm for accidents, and we’re especially seeing a number of accidents on the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 2,” Vanthuyne said.
On Thursday alone, the Moose Jaw detachment responded to 12 collisions, with Regina detachment also responding to six.
Vanthuyne said conditions led to a snowplow ending up in the ditch of the Trans-Canada Highway during the past week. “They were working at clearing the west bound lane and the blade caught the median spinning it around and tipping it over.”
Marilyn Carter of Walker’s Towing Service agreed in being a bad winter for road conditions. “People have to slow down, between the ice, snow and wind we’re seeing a lot of accidents,” Carter said. “People need to remember where we live.”
Carter said on Friday the towing company had already attended to three roll overs.
“People need to slow down, remember it’s better to arrive late than not arrive at all.”
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