Alberta police report three deaths, hundreds of collisions during storm
Alberta’s first major snowstorm of the season had a tragic impact on provincial roadways, police say.
Alberta RCMP said members responded to three separate collisions resulting in fatalities Monday amid snowy road conditions. Two were in its central district and one in the south. They didn’t provide any further context or details about the deaths, as of Tuesday afternoon.
(RCMP)
RCMP say they responded to 277 total collisions resulting in 18 injuries Monday, with the storm response continuing Tuesday. They urged drivers to “take extra precautions when travelling or consider avoiding travel due to icy roads and blowing snow”.
RELATED: Dangerous driving as Alberta's first major snowfall of the season hits
Monday morning, a school bus carrying Airdrie high school students on a field trip to Olds rolled over. Police say five youth and one adult were taken to the hospital among the 12 on board. All injuries were reported as non-life-threatening, but police listed some as serious. RCMP said they believe road conditions were a factor in the accident but didn't speculate further on how it may have occurred and said their investigation is ongoing.
The Calgary Police Service (CPS), meanwhile, was busy as well.
Between midnight and noon Tuesday, the CPS says it responded to 153 collisions, nine of which resulted in injuries. On Monday, they reported 279 total collisions, resulting in 26 injuries.
The RCMP lists the following suggestions for driving in winter conditions:
Get your vehicle ready for winter in the fall
Pack an emergency kit
Learn and practice winter driving techniques
Check your route on https://511.Alberta.ca prior to departure.
Remove all snow from your vehicle before each trip
Give yourself extra travel time in bad weather
Travel with a fully charged cell phone for emergency situations
Slow down and wear your seatbelt
