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Ensuring road safety has been a priority for the Morden Police Service lately.
Police Chief Brad Neduzak says the service has been participating in an MPI traffic enforcement program to this end.
According to the police chief, the service participated in the program through February and March and will participate in a new one that begins in April.
As for what officers see on the roadways, Chief Neduzak says that one area of concern is emergency personnel on the side of the road and their safety.
Slowing down for emergency vehicles
Between March 10th and March 24th, three tickets were issued to motorists who did not follow the correct protocol for passing emergency vehicles.
“This is something that we are still seeing happening. Whether it is police, fire, ambulance, or tow truck drivers, ... the law is that one needs to slow down and move as far over as possible to pass these vehicles at a certain speed,” says Chief Neduzak.
“If you are travelling in a speed limit [zone] of 80 kilometres or less, one must slow down to 40 kilometres when passing emergency personnel. On the highway with speeds of 80 kilometres or higher, one must slow down to speeds of 60 kilometres.”
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Chief Neduzak says the adjusted speed limits are for the safety of police and emergency personnel.
“When they are dealing with an emergency on the roadside or have a vehicle stopped, their focus is on that driver and the vehicle, and not always on traffic,” he says. “We ask drivers to cooperate and slow down and move over as far as they possibly can to go around.”
Other driving infractions
See below for other driving infraction-related tickets that the Morden Police Service issued between March 10th to 24th:
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21 tickets for Speeding
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Three tickets for Passing an Emergency Vehicle Engaged in Prescribed Activity While Using Emergency Equipment, Fail to Move into a Farther Lane/Comply with Speed Requirements ($298 fine)
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Two tickets for Drive an Unregistered Vehicle ($298 fine)
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Six tickets for Disobey Traffic Control Device namely Stop Sign ($203 fine)
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Three tickets for Fail to Stop at Railway Crossing with Stop Sign ($298 fine)
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One ticket for Proceed Before Safe to do so ($174 fine)
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Two tickets for Drive without Holding Valid Driver's License ($298 fine)
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One ticket for Fail to Produce License ($113 fine)
With files from Robyn Wiebe