RCMP urge caution on roads after marked cruiser responding to call was hit
Posted December 7, 2023 12:17 pm.
Drivers have heard it before — drive with care. Slow down, you’re not Max Verstappen. Take caution on the roads. But as snow starts to fall in parts of Alberta, the RCMP is once again urging drivers to be cautious on roads and highways.
The latest call for driver safety came after Mounties from Leduc were hit as they were responding to an emergency call on the QEII.
The RCMP says around 10:45 p.m. on Dec. 3, officers from Leduc responded to a single-vehicle collision on QEII near Highway 616 — roughly 20 km south of Leduc — after a vehicle hit the wire barrier in the centre median.
Police were parked with lights flashing in the fast lane when a passing semi-truck hit the police cruiser and the vehicle involved in the first collision.
“The responding officer was sitting inside his police vehicle speaking with the driver of the vehicle involved in the initial collision when the police vehicle was struck. The officer immediately requested assistance from police and other first responders,” said the RCMP in a statement.
Both of the attending officers and the 27-year-old driver of the first vehicle were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The RCMP notes the driver of the semi was not injured and has since been issued a ticket for driving carelessly.
“First responders are in a high-risk situation when they’re parked roadside, particularly when road and traffic conditions are treacherous,” said Const. Cheri-Lee Smith, Leduc RCMP Public Information Officer. “As first responders, we have bright red and blue emergency lights to assist in ensuring our safety and those around us. But other vehicles don’t have that extra safety measure.”
The RCMP adds it is extremely important to drive with extra caution as road conditions become worse with winter conditions. Drivers are also able to check on road conditions prior to hitting the roads through 511 Alberta.
