The Manitoba RCMP is reminding the public to drive safe after a weekend of multiple fatal collisions in the province.

On Friday, December 7, a woman was killed near Neepawa after another vehicle hit a deer which then hit her vehicle. On Saturday a collision east of BeausejourBeausejour claimed the lives of two people in their twenties. Sunday another collision killed one and injured seven more people.

Cpl. Julie Courchaine of the Manitoba RCMP says while there were different factors at work in each collision there are basic safety tips motorists need to keep in mind.

"The RCMP reminds motorists that with the recent fluctuating temperatures a thin layer of ice often forms on the highways due to melting during the day and re-freezing after sunset," Courchaine says in an email to CHVN.

"Drivers need to remember to drive appropriately for the road conditions. Often this requires driving at less than the speed limit. Stopping distances are drastically increased on icy roads whereas stopping distance on dry new pavement at 100 km can be as short as 50 metres. That same vehicle travelling at 100 km/h on icy roads may require up to 390 metres to stop. By reducing your speed to 70 km/h you can cut that stopping distance in half.

"Road safety in Manitoba has been and will continue to be a top priority for the RCMP, and we are committed to eliminating impaired driving and the tragedies that are all too often associated with this high-risk behaviour."

Several accidents and related fatalities have also involved people not wearing seatbelts and subsequently ejected from their vehicles. "We would also remind motorists to use seatbelts and ensure everyone in the vehicle has buckled up. The RCMP wants everyone to get to their destination safely," Courchaine says.