With winter in full swing, the Weyburn Police Service reminds both pedestrians and drivers to take added precautions to keep walking safe. 

While Constable Preston Roy from the WPS encourages defensive driving techniques he is also encouraging pedestrians to employ added precautions.   

Roy reminds pedestrians that it is always best to use sidewalks and to never assume that drivers can see you. This combined with slippery and icy roads, means the driver may not be able to stop in time. 

“We always encourage pedestrians to stay off the road if possible, so use the sidewalks, and getting as far over as possible. Using reflective gear is great, but still, getting off the roadways is always most encouraged because we can’t assume the drivers can see us. Maybe they are distracted or maybe they haven’t done enough preparation with their vehicles, we want to be as defensive as possible,” said Roy. 

Safe pedestrian practices include: 

  • Using sidewalks when possible; 

  • Wearing reflective gear; 

  • Not walking in drive-thru traffic lanes;

  • Never assume the driver can see you. 

For drivers, Roy encourages added safety by slowing down and doing proper vehicle preparation. 

“It’s important as drivers that we’re cautious of pedestrians and make sure we are using safe driving techniques, so when we’re getting out in the morning and visibility is low due to darkness, or maybe due to the blizzarding snow, we want to make sure we take good steps we are watching for pedestrians,” explained Roy. 

Precautions drivers are encouraged to take are: 

  • Making sure all windows are scraped; 

  • Driving safely and slowing down for the road conditions; 

  • Not taking turns too quickly; 

  • And keeping eyes up as pedestrians can be hard to see. 

The Weyburn Police Service wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season.