Poor driving conditions did not slow down a man who was clocked speeding at 152 kilometre per hour (km/hr) near CrossIron Mills mall with his four children in the vehicle, April 13.
Shortly before noon, an officer with the Airdrie Integrated Traffic Unit was conducting speed enforcement on Highway 566 when he observed a black Mercedes SUV travelling westbound at high speeds and obtained a radar speed reading of 152km/h in the maximum 100km/h zone.
Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer was shocked to discover that the SUV was occupied by two parents and four young children between the ages of four and 11 years. Three of the children were theirs and the fourth was a visiting friend.
According to an RCMP press release, “The driving conditions were poor due to the fact a heavy fog had greatly reduced visibility, and with a light rain/snow falling the road surface had become wet and slippery.”
The driver and the father of three of the children, a 37-year-old man from Strathmore, has been charged with speeding. Speeds of 50 km/h or more over the speed limit, result in a mandatory court appearance.
Police say this could easily have become a very tragic situation. Travelling at a speed even just a few kilometres per hour over the posted speed limit:
• Increases the probability of death or injury if your vehicle is involved in a crash
• Reduces your ability to steer safely around objects on the roadway
• Decreases your field of vision and your peripheral vision
• Extends the distance required to stop your vehicle in emergency situations
• Reduces your ability to obey traffic control devices such as red lights, stop signs, yield signs and crosswalks
• Increases the risk that you will lose control of your vehicle
• Reduces the effectiveness of roadside safety devices such as barriers, crash cushions, and guardrails
If you have information on any unsolved crime, call the Airdrie RCMP at 403-945-7200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
