Serious speeding infractions up nearly 60 per cent in Manitoba last year, MPI says

There may have been fewer cars on the roads, but the number of drivers going more than 50 km/h over the legal limit increased significantlyin 2020,says new data released by Manitoba Public Insurance.

A total of 522 speed-related serious driving offences were forwarded to MPI in 2020, a nearly60 per cent increase over 2019, a news release says.

A speed-related serious driving offence is handed outfor going50 km/h or more over the limit. It's one of several offences that must be reported to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.

The speeding demonstrated in these instances is "inexcusable" given that about one in five road fatalities in Manitoba involves speeding, said Satvir Jatana, vice-president of employee and community engagement for Manitoba Public Insurance.

"This high-risk driving behaviour is careless and potentially fatal," she said.

More than half of these speeders were caught on Highway 100/101 (the Perimeter Highway), Highway 16 (the Yellowhead), Highway 1 (the Trans-Canada), Highway 6 and Highway 59, RCMP data says.

Male drivers aged 34 and underaccounted for more than half of the speed-relatedserious driving offences recently issued, Manitoba Public Insurance and the RCMPsay.

In August, MPI said it hadseen more than double the number of serious/catastrophic injury claims in the first half of 2020 thanit usually sees in the same time period.

Serious or catastrophic injuries are defined as those that result in total or partial paralysis, amputation orbrain injury, or that involve other life-changing, traumatic injury.