While we are used to cold, snow and wind in Weyburn during January, extended periods of freezing rain and freezing drizzle aren’t seen quite as often. The result of the precipitation in the past week or so has resulted in a number of icy roads in and around Weyburn. These conditions have the Weyburn Police Service reminding motorists to exercise caution when driving.  

“Right from the beginning, as soon as you walk out your door of your house to get to your vehicle, be cautious,” explained Constable Lisa Robertson with the Weyburn Police Service. “The roads, the sidewalk, steps, everywhere, is this like a curling rink right now.” 

The mild temperatures during the day and temperatures dipping a fair bit below freezing at night haven’t helped the situation either.  

Robertson cautioned that drivers need to reduce their speeds, and be prepared to stop at any time. Approaching intersections carefully is also important to help avoid a collision. 

“Slow down, give yourself plenty of time to come to a stop before you get to the intersection.” Robertson added. “If you make it to the intersection and you observe a vehicle sliding, be aware of that; sometime either direction can be icy so you have to be cautious of the other drivers as well.” 

Motorists are also asked to watch for pedestrians, as the conditions can sometimes lead to people needing to take extra time to cross a street.  

Turning can also be an issue, as was seen in one incident in the past week.  

The Weyburn Police Service reported a collision happened at an intersection when a vehicle attempted to make a right turn at a very slow speed. The icy conditions, however, kept the vehicle sliding, and it collided with another vehicle stopped at the intersection.  

That was just one instance of a collision due to the icy conditions reported by the Weyburn Police Service over the past week.