RCMP respond to 149 collisions due to poor conditions

Alberta RCMP are stressing the importance of its advisory not to travel in poor conditions, after officers responded to 149 collisions between 12 p.m. on Jan. 16 and 8 a.m. on Jan. 17.

“RCMP is stressing that when it is advised to not travel, please take this advice. You are not only putting your own life at risk, but also risking other lives, including all first responders. Please drive responsibly and safely,” the police service said in a statement.

On Thursday evening, Mounties issued a warning stressing to stay off of roads across the province due to poor and worsening conditions.

However, many drivers still took to Alberta highways.

READ MORE: RCMP advise of extremely poor driving conditions across Alberta

Of the 149 collisions reported, six resulted in injuries. RCMP expects that number to grow over the next few days as reports continue to be made to various detachments.

“When we’re out there, and we’re at a collision scene on a highway where the speed limits are 110 km/h and people aren’t driving to the road conditions, it’s terrifying,” said Cpl. Gina Slaney, Alberta RCMP.

CityNews spoke to some commuters in Edmonton who said they’re still having trouble getting from point A to B safely.

“It’s pretty slippery. The bus was sliding around corners and stuff. How bad was the slide? Pretty bad. Never seen it before,” said one Edmontonian.

Another saying, “This morning, it wasn’t that bad because it kind of stopped snowing, but last night when it was, I sprained my ankle coming back from Popeyes.”

The majority of collisions happened within central Alberta, where there 71; of those, three involved injuries.

Eastern Alberta reported 28 collisions, western Alberta reported 26, and southern Alberta reported 24.

The road conditions likely won’t get any better over the weekend.

Temperatures will see daytime highs near -20, which has also ruined some plans.

Nearly everyone I spoke to says they’ll be staying home now, but that’s not this Edmontonian’s biggest concern.

“The weather cold, actually, it’s not bad, but the road conditions, it’s really hoping the city does a better job,” said an Edmontonian.

Another man CityNews spoke to feels the conditions aren’t the problem, it’s the drivers. He has a trip to Camrose, saying he’s going kick back and take the trip nice and slow.

“Some music, coffee, sometimes if it’s really bad I just turn everything off and focus, cause I’ve had a couple times where it does make a difference.”