April’s Traffic Safety Spotlight for SGI is speeding.

According to the Crown Corporation, 454 people were injured and nine people died in vehicle accidents last year in Saskatchewan in relation to speeding.

SGI’s Tyler McMurchy says the faster you go, the more expensive the potential ticket gets.

“If you’re driving at 20 kilometres per hour (km/h) over the limit in a regular stretch of road, that will trigger a ticket of $190 and two safe driver recognition points,” McMurchy said. “If you are speeding in a school zone or a construction zone, the costs escalate.”

McMurchy adds the fine for going 20 km/h over the speed limit in a school zone is $440 and three demerit points, while going 20 km/h over in a construction zone starts at $1,008 and three demerit points.

While people often get caught up in the fines for speeding, McMurchy says there are other serious consequences for the offence.

“When you exceed speed limits, you are putting yourself and others at risk,” McMurchy said. “You’re giving yourself less time to react, and you’re also increasing the severity of the collision you’ll cause because you’re travelling faster.”

McMurchy says as spring has arrived, more people are out walking, biking and riding motorcycles, and speeding increases the danger to those groups as well.

(CKRM)