Ste. Anne Police stopped two motorists this last week driving more than 170 kilometres per hour (km/h).
Officers stopped one vehicle on Highway 12, travelling 179 km/h. The next day, a different driver was caught driving 173 km/h on the Trans Canada Highway. The second driver admitted that she was unaware of her speed, but that she usually drives between 130 and 140 km/h on her daily commute.
According to Ste. Anne Police, both drivers were ticketed for exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h. This is an offence that carries severe penalties under Manitoba law, including large fines and potential license suspensions.
"These speeds are alarming," says Chief Marc Robichaud. "At this level, the physics change, stopping distance increases dramatically, reaction time is cut in half, and the chance of surviving a collision drops sharply. This isn't just about breaking the law, it's about risking lives."
According to Ste. Anne Police, transport safety experts say that a vehicle travelling at 180 km/h requires more than 200 metres to stop, even in ideal conditions. At that speed, a moment's distraction or an unexpected animal on the road could have fatal consequences.
Ste. Anne Police say there have already been 32 traffic fatalities in Manitoba in 2025. That is up from 23 at this time last year. According to Ste. Anne Police, 83 per cent of fatal collisions occur in rural areas.
"Given these numbers, I believe traffic collisions are now the leading public safety risk in rural Manitoba," says Robichaud. "Although our resources are limited, our officers will continue to make speeding and dangerous driving a priority. Road safety is not negotiable."