As the weather warms, road maintenance and construction season is front and centre for Winnipeggers.
So, too, is our annual reminder to slow down around roadside and on-street workers.
“They’re not in your way, they’re at work,” said Ron Ireland, Public Works Department Safety Coordinator and the City’s representative on the provincial SAFE Roads committee.
“It’s so important that motorists slow down so they can work safely.”
SAFE Roads is a multidisciplinary committee that educates Manitobans on respectful and safe driving practices. The committee works to protect the safety of construction, utility, emergency services personnel, equipment operators and all those who work in or adjacent to our province's roadways.
We are a proud partner on the annual SAFE Roads campaign, which launched for 2024 today.
“Road construction and maintenance workers help keep our streets driveable and our city moving,” said Ireland. “Emergency services personnel literally keep us safe. We all have a part to play in ensuring they can keep doing their job, and – more importantly – keep going home safely to their families at the end of every shift.”
There were 240 transportation-related accidents within the Manitoba construction industry between 2018 and 2022, according to statistics from the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba.
"These roads are more than just a means to get from one place to another. These are workplaces for many Manitobans," said Dave Kramer, Vice President of WCB's SAFE Work Manitoba division.
"Speeding through a construction zone or ignoring traffic signs will not only cost you a ticket. It can also cost someone their livelihood, or even their life."
You can learn more about the annual campaign at saferoads.ca