Tag Archives: safe driving Winnipeg

Happy May Winnipeg – Keep it Slow

For the first time in a long time, it appears that April’s showers will indeed bring May’s flowers.

We’re going to be optimistic when we say that the weather from here on in is going to be agreeable after the cold, wet 2014 we’ve had so far. Yes, there will be rain but it’s looking better than we’ve had in past years.

With roads clear, the natural tendency with Winnipeggers will be to amp up their speed on the road and, unfortunately, play a game of ‘chicken’ with red lights now that the risk of swerving or hydroplaning has waned. One of our associates witnessed a near collision earlier today in St. James when a truck sped through a suddenly-turned red light and nearly struck a bus. Fortunately, the busdriver was acutely aware of the other motorist and slammed on the breaks in time.

Needless to say, the result could have been unfavourable – a call for roadside assistance after an accident.

Let this be a word of wisdom for you – just because you think you can beat a red light doesn’t mean you should speed up to make it. Remember – getting to your destination 2 minutes later than expected is much better than the alternative.

Stay safe Winnipeg!

Pothole Season has Started! Beware!

Good news Winnipeg, the overnight parking ban has been lifted!

Bad news Winnipeg, pothole season has officially begun.

After a pre-season that already proved hazardous thanks to a couple days in and around 0, the Winnipeg road landscape now looks to be fully picked apart by the remnants of a soon-to-be-departed winter (once the snow stops falling of course, but more on this in a moment).

Potholes are unfortunately unavoidable as a phenomenon, and can be downright treacherous for drivers. Depending on the size of a pothole, the speed of the driver and the condition of tires, damage can occur with nary a moment’s notice and be as severe as busting tires, cracking bumpers and throwing off wheel alignment.

What makes potholes worse, now, is that with the snowfall we experienced over the last couple days, they’ve been unfortunately hidden from plain sight, and with slush developing from the melt we’ll have with above-0 temperatures on Sunday and Monday, pools will start to form in these spots, making them hard to differentiate from a paved road.

We strongly advise all drivers to stay calm on the streets and keep your speed levels down. While you may have the temptation to plow through streets at higher speeds after cutting your km/hr by 10 or 15 during the slippery snow-coated conditions of the past few months, we’re not in a safe zone yet.

Drive Safe Manitoba!