YORKTON — As Saskatchewan highways fill with vacationers, campers and commercial traffic, recent fatal and serious crashes across the province are serving as a reminder that summer driving conditions require as much caution as winter roads.
While dry pavement and longer daylight hours may give motorists a greater sense of confidence, several Saskatchewan drivers say the biggest danger may be other people behind the wheel.
Recent fatal collisions reported across Saskatchewan have renewed conversations about road safety during the province's busiest travel season. In recent days alone, RCMP have responded to multiple fatal crashes on provincial highways, including collisions near Lumsden, Piapot and Duck Lake.
According to SGI, 108 people were killed in traffic collisions in Saskatchewan in 2024, up from 92 fatalities in 2023.
“I trust my driving skills, but I don't necessarily trust everybody else's driving skills,” said Alexa Burym, who said recent collisions reported in the province have not changed her travel plans but have made her more defensive while driving.
“I feel like I spend a lot more time paying attention to what other people on the road are doing now.”
The comments come as many Saskatchewan residents head out on summer road trips, often sharing highways with recreational vehicles, trailers, agricultural equipment and increased tourist traffic.
Savannah Komaike-Petkau recently returned from a trip to southern Alberta, where she travelled through narrow, winding roads near Elkwater while hauling a trailer.
“Be conscious of everyone else around you because everyone else might not be as safe as you are,” she said.
Although she did not witness any crashes on her journey, she said there were several close calls involving drivers cutting others off and commercial vehicles failing to slow down.
“Especially when you're hauling a trailer,” she said.
Komaike-Petkau believes many drivers become less cautious once winter conditions disappear.
“People drive faster,” she said. Rain and reduced visibility can still create hazardous conditions during the summer months, she added.
To reduce risk, Petkau said her family often plans routes that keep them on divided highways rather than smaller secondary roads whenever possible.
For John Alcorn, who recently completed a road trip to British Columbia, one of the biggest frustrations is inconsistent driving behaviour on Saskatchewan highways.
“You get people with the passing lanes, they'll go 90, you'll hit the passing lane, everyone speeds up to 110,” he said. “Nobody makes any progress.”
Alcorn said summer traffic creates a mix of slower-moving campers and RVs alongside drivers operating high-performance vehicles at higher speeds.
“You do get people, they bring out their Ferraris, their Corvettes, their BMWs, they go a lot faster,” he said. “You've got guys hauling campers, slowing things down.”
The combination can create impatience and risky passing manoeuvres, particularly on undivided highways.
Alcorn, who frequently travels rural Saskatchewan roads for work, said motorists also need to pay attention at grid-road intersections and highway access points.
“We have so many grid roads, unmarked intersections,” he said. “You have yield signs coming onto highways that people don't always yield at.”
With thousands of Saskatchewan residents expected to spend time on the road throughout the summer, drivers are being reminded that good weather does not eliminate the risks associated with highway travel.
Komakie-Petkau said the key to staying safe is remembering that not every driver approaches the road the same way.
“Be conscious of everyone else around you because everyone else might not be as safe as you are.”
