Manitoba road fatalities already more than total deaths in 2015, MPI says

A high number of fatal crashes on Manitoba roadsso far this year has prompted the province's public auto insurer to urge motorists to drive safely.

Manitoba Public Insurance reports there have been 85 road fatalities so far this year, surpassing 2015's total of 78 road deaths.Factors in this year's fatalitiesinclude:

• Impaired driving, accounting for 32 deaths.
• Speeding 16 deaths.
• Not wearing a seatbelt 11 deaths.

Almost 70 per cent of those killed so far this year were male, and almost 25 per cent of them were under the age of 25, MPI says.

"The increase in road fatalities is disturbing. We must remember that this is much more than just a number but represents mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, friends, co-workersand best friends," Ron Schuler, Manitoba's Crown services minister, said in a news release Thursday.

"Too often road fatalities are associated with high-risk driving behaviour behaviours which can be changed."

Some recent fatalities include the death of a 17-year-old boy from Lorette, Man., who was ejected froma car that rolled into a ditch along Highway 207 early Sunday morning.He was a passenger in the vehicle.

In a separatecase, a 17-year-old girl was killed after thecar she was driving hit a ditch and rolled over along the Trans-Canada Highway in Headingley on Oct. 1.

In both cases, RCMPhave saidit does not appearthey were wearing seatbelts.

Meanwhile, atwo-vehicle crashon Highway 207 in June killed a29-year-old Winnipeg woman and resulted in an 18-year-old manbeing charged with impaired driving, criminal negligence and other offences.

• 'A bad nightmare': Manitoba teen killed in Highway 207 rollover
• Winnipeg teen killed in rollover was a soccer star, coach says
• Man, 18, charged in fatal highway crash near Lorette

On Thursday,Schuler was joined by Justice Minister Heather Stefanson and officials from MPI and police agencies in urging drivers to take precautions to ensure their safety.

Some safety tips they provided include:

• Have a plan before going on a night out and get a ride home by taxi or designated driver.
• Don't get into a vehicle with someone who's been drinking or taking drugs.
• Be aware of posted speed limits and drive appropriately to the weather conditions.
• Wear yourseatbelt.
• Don't text and drive. Pull over to a safe area before taking the phone out.