RCMP members have been busy launching the annual spring seatbelt and speed awareness and enforcement campaign.
During the month of March RCMP members conducted the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) vehicle checks focusing on seatbelts.
In the province there was a total of 4,021 seatbelt violation tickets issued. There were 3,106 drivers without a seatbelt 667 of passengers without seatbelts were adults and 38 passengers were between the ages of six to 15.
Child safety seat infractions were also focused on and 107 people were caught with an improperly secured child seat.
RCMP members will be creating speed awareness during April to help battle speed related injuries and deaths on Alberta’s roads using STEP vehicle checks focusing on speeding.
Speeding is one of the most common causes of collisions in Alberta and according to 2006 statistics 361 people were killed in vehicle collisions where speed was a factor in about 20 per cent of the collisions.
The fines and demerits given to a driver for speeding can be significant and fines double when speeding past an emergency vehicle or construction workers.
The speed limits for Alberta are generally consistent across the province. For a primary highway that is located outside of a city or town the maximum speed limit is 100 km/h and 80 km/h is the maximum speed limit for other non-primary highways outside an urban area.
In an urban area 50 km/h is the maximum speed limit for a highway and in school and playground areas the limit drops to 30 km/h.
Outside an urban region the speed limit is 40 km/h for both school and playground areas.
Although these are the standard speed limits permitted, drivers are encouraged to adjust their speed to weather or other conditions to arrive at their destination safely.