This release was issued under a previous government.

By the time you realize you’re going too fast – it may be too late. This month, the Alberta Government’s Office of Traffic Safety is focusing on speeding.

“Speeding increases the severity of collisions. It’s unacceptable that half of all serious brain injuries are due to speed-related collisions. Everyone needs to slow down and drive for the road conditions to reduce this tragic statistic.”

Wayne Drysdale, Minister of Transportation

“When you speed, your chances of becoming involved in a collision increase dramatically. Your ability to react to situations or emergencies decreases and the distance needed to stop significantly increases. The risk of serious injury or death in a collision is amplified when speed is a factor. During the month of April, Alberta Sheriffs/RCMP integrated traffic units throughout the province will be focusing on speed enforcement. Please keep to the speed limit as the life you save may be your own.”

Rick Gardner, Deputy Director, Alberta Sheriffs Traffic Operations

Speed Facts

  • Speeding reduces the effectiveness of seatbelts and other safety devices such as air bags and side impact beams.
  • A vehicle travelling at 50 km/h takes 37 metres to stop, while one moving at 110 km/h needs 126 metres to stop, more than three times the distance.
  • Between 2009 and 2013, 467 people were killed and 12,036 were injured in collisions involving unsafe speed.
  • In 2013, 26.6 per cent of fatal collisions involved a driver travelling at an unsafe speed.
  • Between 2009 and 2013, Edmonton had 50 fatal speed-related collisions, Calgary had 47 and Fort McMurray had 13.
  • Motorists must slow to 60 km/h, or less if the posted speed is lower, when passing emergency vehicles or tow trucks stopped with their lights flashing. Fines for speeding in these circumstances double.
  • When workers are present in construction zones, fines for speeding also double. This includes workers on or near the road who are operating heavy equipment or doing other work in the construction zone.
  • Demerits for speeding range from two points (exceeding the posted limit by less than 15 km/h) to six points (exceeding the posted limit by more than 50 km/h).