Fewer collisions, but serious injuries up in first half of 2020, MPI reports

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This article was published 28/08/2020 (1892 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Neil Klippenstein knows first-hand the catastrophic changes that can happen to someone involved in a serious vehicle collision.

Klippenstein, now 59, was a self-employed contractor and a decades-long motorcycle rider when he was left paralyzed from the neck down when his bike was rear-ended on Lagimodiere Boulevard on Aug. 3, 2011.

He now uses a motorized wheelchair to get around. He can’t drive a motorcycle, but he can now sit in a sidecar and be driven around. Going on vacation means bringing a portable lift with him so his wife can get him into a hotel bed. He can go to construction sites, but only to watch others work.

That’s why Klippenstein is concerned after hearing that Manitoba Public Insurance has recorded double the number of serious and catastrophic injury claims during the first seven months of the year, compared to not only the same time period last year, but also 2018.

“That was alarming,” he said Friday.

“And a lot of them are motorcycle-related, as well. We need drivers to be vigilant and take our time on the roads and look for motorcycles. They’re often in your blind spot.”

MPI has received 18 serious/catastrophic injury claims, including victims left quadriplegic, paraplegic or with brain injuries, compared with nine in 2018 and eight in 2019.

Nine of this year’s claims were in July alone and Satvir Jatana, MPI’s vice-president of employee and community engagement, said the higher numbers come after a year that set a new record for worst year in a decade with a total of 23 serious/catastrophic injury claims. Normally there are about 20 of these types of claims every year.

“While we’ve experienced a decrease of nearly 22,000 collision claims during the period of January to July 2020, compared to the same time frame in 2019, unfortunately, serious injury counts are dramatically higher,” Jatana said in a statement.

“These types of injuries typically result in very long hospitalization and recovery time for those affected. The injuries are devastating, often resulting in total or partial paralysis, amputation, serous brain injury, or life-changing trauma. In some cases the injured person may require care 24 hours a day.”

MPI said the higher numbers also come during a period when the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced traffic volumes — and regular collisions — so much that the province’s vehicle insurer actually cut Manitoba motorists insurance rebates.

But MPI said in a statement that while traffic volumes remain relatively low, “many drivers have dramatically increased their speeds.

“The majority of serious/catastrophic injuries take place on rural roadways where speed limits are typically higher, increasing the severity of the crash.”

In fact, MPI said there has been a 60 per cent increase in the number of speed-related serous driving offences — 50 km/h or more over the speed limit — reported to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.

Klippenstein, meanwhile, said MPI has been a great help to him since the collision.

“They were very accommodating in fulfilling my wishes to get back in saddle again,” he said.

“They have been just wonderful along my whole journey in making my life every accessible, no matter what my needs are.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca