The campaign is targeted at motorists across Manitoba, reminding them to slow down when driving past construction projects, road maintenance workers and emergency responders.
"Summer is around the corner and that means it’s construction season again,” says MGEU 1st Vice-President Wally Fletcher. “For many of our members, the roads are their workplaces, which is why the MGEU joined this campaign–to make their workplaces as safe as possible.”
The SAFE Roads campaign includes radio, billboard and transit bus ads urging speeding motorists to slow down and raise awareness of Manitoba’s roads as a workplace. The ads feature the message "This is my workplace. Slow down."
Recent changes to the Highway Traffic Act, which take effect today, also support the SAFE Roads campaign by setting additional penalties for failing to slow down in construction zones. Offenders caught speeding will have an additional five dollars added to the base fine for every kilometer recorded over the speed limit.
New road signs will also be posted requiring drivers to slow down regardless if there are workers on site or not. These signs will replace the previous signs that required drivers to slow down only when passing workers.
SAFE Roads is a joint safety effort between the following community stakeholders:
• City of
Winnipeg
• City of Winnipeg Public Works
• City of Brandon
• Construction Safety Association of Manitoba (CSAM)
• CUPE Manitoba
• CUPE Local 500
• Manitoba Floodway Authority/East Side Road Authority
• Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU)
• Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA)
• Manitoba Hydro
• Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation (MIT)
• Winnipeg Fire & Paramedics Service (WFPS)
• Winnipeg Police Service (WPS)
• Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB)
• WORKSAFELYTM MHCA.
Visit
SAFE Roads, for more information