Winnipeg Free Press > Local > Wintry blast ices roads, autos keep wrecking

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Wintry blast ices roads, autos keep wrecking

By: Kevin Rollason

10/10/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 16

SNOW and slippery driving conditions that came with the first winter blast led to numerous multi-vehicle traffic collisions in and around Winnipeg on Friday night.

The collisions began at about 7 p.m., and for about an hour police, fire and paramedic crews rushed to give assistance across the city.

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Winnipeg police and the RCMP urged motorists to slow down in the poor weather.

"The first winter storm is the worst one we have because the number of crashes goes up 10 times because everybody forgot to drive to conditions," Headingley RCMP Cpl. Larry Dalman said.

"We're now at winter driving conditions. It's not optimum driving conditions. Whatever the speed limit says, go slower. We're just asking people to use common sense."

Chris Broughton, president of the Professional Paramedic Association of Winnipeg, said paramedics were being taxed to the limit.

"Winnipeggers should stay off the roads if they don't need to be out. And with more snow predicted this weekend, we ask them to continue to use caution," Broughton said.

Twenty vehicles were involved in a collision on the Henderson Highway side of the Red River Bridge on the Perimeter Highway.

There were 15 cars involved in a collision at Lagimodiere Boulevard and Regent Avenue. Because of the slippery conditions, Winnipeg police closed Lagimodiere from Warman Road to Grassie Boulevard for about an hour until sanding vehicles could arrive.

There was a two-vehicle collision at Dugald Road and the Perimeter Highway, and north of the city, several vehicles collided on Highway 59 near the Lockport turnoff. One vehicle was flipped over and lying on its roof right on the highway.

RCMP reported another vehicle had been spotted in a ditch on Highway 67 near Stonewall.

They had not reported any fatalities or critical injuries by 9:30 p.m.

Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning on Friday night for the area from Portage la Prairie north through the Interlake to Arborg, Hecla and Fisher River. The weather service was predicting up to 20 centimetres of snow would fall in the evening and overnight.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

 

 

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 10, 2009 A3

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16 Commentscomment icon

Autopac must be wringing their collective hands with glee...Can you say....Impending Increase in Premiums????

For BidD

Every major eastern city pre-salts the roads BEFORE the snow falls. That way there's no ice build up. Smart, eh? Winnipeg could have done that last night but with its ever-so-smart we-know-best attitude decided that multiple car crashes and injuries was a more cost effective way of doing business. Whoever was running the city's operations yesterday should be arrested.

Pre-salting (or treating) the roads is what well prepared city crews do. The fact that there is not one comment in the paper about the city's winter prep for this storm speaks volumes about where they're at. Another poster probably had it right - someone sent all the crews home for some early Thanksgiving beer and to heck with the weather reports.

I wonder how many of those people involved in those accidents had cell phones stuck in there heads?

The idiots that are the cause of these accidents, should be fined big time!!!! Just who do they think they are?? A lot of people could have been killed because of their idiotic driving. I think the driver's handbook says to drive the speed limit "under ideal conditions" and if conditions are not ideal, then go slower. Same as it say's you can Go on a green light, only when it is safe to do so. These idiots are making me sick, and everyone who commented said it all. But, there should be a law stating that when conditions are not "Ideal", then drive 5 or 10 kilometers UNDER the speed limit, or get ticketed heavily!! The idiots that drive "tanks", don't care about anyone else on the road, whether they kill them or not!!
And, if you do have to be there "on time", then leave earlier and take your time!!! Come on MPI, "lay it on", and save a lot of lives!!

To say it's the city's fault is completely ridiculous. If you can't drive on ice don't drive. I drove all day yesterday in and out of town without issue. First of all the forecast for snow was initially for areas north of Winnipeg, we were originally suppposed to get minimal snow, with a high of 5 yesterday. we ended up with considerably more and it only reached -1. Now had the city gone ahead and pre-salted the streets (genius idea) and the weather forecat ended up being accurate, I am almost possitive Id see Mr. Hudson post "why is the city wasting money salting the streets?" Can't win with some people. The accidents have less to do with the slippery roads, and more to do with the people driving on them

That's a good waste of the City's snow clearing budget.....pre-salting the roads! Genius!

Drive slower.......you know......according to the weather conditions. It's not the City's fault that some drivers are absolute (impatient) morons!!!!!

It's a fine line between an SUV and a Curling Rock.

It's sad but people will not learn their lesson until they cause an accident. Do you want to be in the news for that? Or have it hanging over your head that you killed/critically injured someone? Let loved ones come home! SLOW DOWN and PAY MORE ATTENTION TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS! This is a horrible season for texting and driving too (it shouldn't be done during any season btw)!!!

Shows you that just because you hold a license does not mean you actually know how to drive!

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