Manitobans ‘getting The Message’ About Safe Driving During Winter Storms: MPI

Manitoba drivers were taking it easy on the roads during last week’s winter storms, according to Manitoba Public Insurance.

MPI’s Brian Smiley says call volumes since the heavy snowfall have been much lower than the insurer typically expects after storm — even with a weekend of built-up claims coming in on Monday.

“This past Monday, we had 742 (incidents) — and Mondays are typically high for us because our contact centre is closed on Sundays, so that number is not very surprising,” he said.

Still, it’s a far cry from the 1,000 collision calls per day that usually come in after a bad winter event.

Smiley said Manitoba drivers should be thanked for getting the message and hitting the road safely — especially in Winnipeg, where the vast majority of collisions tend to take place.

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“Many of those collisions are what we call fender-benders, meaning somebody’s coming up to a red light a little too quick, and they bump into the vehicle in front of them,” he said.

“So the message (is) ‘be prepared, have your distances all worked out, be ready to stop, and drive slow’.”

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