Sergeant Paul Manaigre says that the upward trend in crash fatalities is difficult to see when he knows many of the fatalities could have been prevented.
Since Sunday, RCMP Manitoba has seen six fatalities from vehicle crashes in the span of three days.
Manaigre says in the past three and a half years, he has seen the number of road fatalities, particularly in southern Manitoba, increase. While crashes can happen anywhere, he has noticed many recent fatalities have come from the southern part of the province. He cautions that the recent fatal crashes over the past few days are part of a larger uptick.
"You have to look at it over the year," Manaigre says.
In 2019, the number of fatalities was in the mid-forties during this time of the year. This year, that number is 54.
"That is 10 deaths more than last year's average (with) the five-year being approximately 47. It is not a huge number over the averages, but I am not liking the trend that it is going up," Manaigre says.
The sergeant says that he sees three major components in fatal crashes: speeding, drinking, and not wearing a seatbelt.
"I would like to think it is complacency. People just have that belief that 'it is not going to happen to me or somebody I know' but tragedy can strike anywhere."
Even if someone has been driving for many decades, the sergeant says drivers need to be attentive as crashes can happen to anyone at any age.
"Maybe it has not caught up to you yet, but to me, it is a matter of time. It is not if, it is when," Manaigre says.
To become a better driver and prepare for the possibility of a crash, Manaigre says advanced training can be done.
He says the training teaches drivers how to react if danger is in front of them.
"You may not be the cause of (a crash), it could be someone that is in front of you... you need all your facilities in play when you are driving behind the wheel."
He says drivers should be paying attention to the road at all times.
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