May 18, 2018
May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness month and motorists are reminded that everyone shares the roads and the responsibility for motorcycle safety, Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler announced today.
“We lost seven motorcyclists in fatal road collisions last year in Manitoba,” said Schuler. “We want to reduce that number to zero and encourage all motorists to be more aware on the roads we share.”
Manitoba’s Road to Zero: Manitoba Road Safety Plan 2017-2020 provides key priorities for legislators, public works, enforcement and others to reduce the number of collision-related injuries and fatalities. The report adopts a safe systems approach with safe roads, safe speeds, safe road users and safe vehicles as core principles to improve road safety on Manitoba’s roads.
The minister noted that Manitoba Public Insurance that recently launched its annual ‘Look Twice’ campaign, urging drivers to always look twice for motorcyclists.
“Our organization reminds all motorists to look twice, shoulder check deliberately for every lane change and remain alert while driving,” said Carolyn Peters, vice-president of the Coalition of Manitoba Motorcycle Groups. “This includes no texting and driving, and no other distractions that could endanger riders. Our lives as motorcyclists depend on safe drivers.”
“We thank our partners from the Coalition of Manitoba Motorcycle Groups for its effort to heighten road safety awareness between vehicle drivers and motorcyclists,” said Schuler. “Driving is a privilege and drivers of all vehicles must realize the tremendous responsibility they have to keep themselves and other motorists safe.”
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