It's a road, not a runway: Drivers flying on new Labrador pavement, police say

Drivers are picking up plenty of speed on the newly paved Trans-Labrador Highway.

RCMP Cpl.Mark Hustins, whois based in Mary's Harbour, said he and his partner have issued more tickets in the past six months than they did in all of 2016.

"In 2016, from January to December, we wrote 260 tickets. From April 1 to Sept. 30, we wrote 286 tickets," he said, adding that136 were written in September alone.

A portion of the Trans-Labrador Highway, from Lodge Bay to Red Bay, was paved in August.

Hustins said he's nabbed drivers going as fast as 147 km/hon the stretch of road that has a speed limit of 70.

"After traveling a number of hours on the gravel portion of the road, then all of a sudden get to that wonderful, smooth pavement, it's so easy to lose track of your speed," he said.

Take your time

"I'm worried if people don't start slowing down we're going to eventually start seeing a lot more accidents," Hustinssaid.

He said the pavement will especially change winter driving conditions.

There's nowhere you need to go in that much of a hurry that's going to put your life, or my life, or the life of other traveling motorists in jeopardy.- Cpl. Mark Hustins

"I think a lot of my concern is that our local residents are not used to driving on pavement on black ice and rain on the pavement portion."

Hustinsis also reminding drivers to slow down whenpassing officers who are pulled over on the side of the highway.

"There's nowhere you need to go in that much of a hurry that's going to put your life, or my life, or the life of other traveling motorists in jeopardy," he said.