RCMP to use “retro” police cars and air surveillance to target speeders, Dieppe, N.B.

2009/5/15

As part of Canada Road Safety Week, a national campaign to make Canada's roads the safest in the world, the RCMP in New Brunswick has unveiled a number of initiatives to reduce the number of fatal crashes and serious injuries on roadways in the province.

In 2008, 78 people were killed in crashes in RCMP jurisdiction in New Brunswick. Speed, people not wearing seatbelts and impaired drivers were the major factors in most crashes.

In an effort to reduce these preventable crashes the RCMP is launching a number of initiatives.

In an effort to increase visibility of the RCMP on roadways, two RCMP police vehicles have been outfitted in retro colours similar to the black used by the RCMP in the 1960's and the blue used in the 1980's. Aircraft Traffic Enforcement is also going to be utilized in New Brunswick to reduce excessive speeds.

“Aggressive driving and speed has become a major concern especially on our four lane highways,”says the RCMP’s Commanding Officer in New Brunswick, Assistant Commissioner Darrell LaFosse. “People are then exiting the highway onto a secondary road and continuing to drive at excessive speeds. This is where we so often see our fatalities and serious injuries.”

Other initiatives to reduce speed include speed alert signs, which are used in low and medium speed zones where speed has been identified as a concern. These show how fast drivers are going and flash when they exceed the speed limit. A rollover simulator is also being utilized throughout the province to demonstrate what can happen when someone is not wearing a seatbelt.

Fines for speeding are $160 plus HST for speeds less than 25 km/h over the speed limit and the loss of three points, $254 plus HST for speeds more than 25 km/h over the speed limit and the loss of 5 points and $600 plus HST for speeds more than 50 km/h over the speed limit and the loss of seven points.

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Sgt. Claude Tremblay
RCMP New Brunswick Media Relation
506-470-9505