OLDS — Provincial traffic offence stats doubled last year due to a program initiated by Olds RCMP and the town’s municipal enforcement staff, Staff Sgt. Warren Wright says.
However, he says contrary to what some believe, Olds doesn’t have a big traffic problem.
Wright made those points during town council’s Feb. 26 meeting.
Wright tabled a third-quarter report which showed that in Olds, total provincial traffic statistics shot up by 106 per cent, rising from 95 in 2022 to 196 in 2023.
Although those statistics are for the entire year, Wright said the joint safe roads/safe nights enforcement program undertaken in conjunction with municipal enforcement did have an impact on those numbers.
Wright said that program began in December and will likely wind down now.
However, he said it could well be revived at three different times during the remainder of the year: perhaps in spring, then when school starts and around the “festive season.”
Wright said during the day, an extra effort was made to enforce provincial traffic offences in town.
There was a focus on issues such as traffic infractions at intersections and stop signs as well as speeding, use of seatbelts and distracted driving.
Other issues included driving an unregistered motor vehicle and having no insurance.
The safe nights program focused on impaired drivers.
“The program in my mind was a very successful program,” Wright said.
However, he said overall, “Olds doesn't really have a large traffic problem,” despite what some residents believe.
Statistics in the report Wright tabled showed that zero municipal traffic bylaw offences were recorded in both 2022 and 2023.
Five motor vehicle injuries were recorded in 2022 and only one in 2023.
The Olds detachment recorded 36 instances of reportable motor vehicle collision property damage in 2022 and 52 in 2023.
Six instances of non-reportable MVC property damage were recorded in 2022 and seven in 2023.
“Yes, we, we doubled our stats, but generally, the members were reporting that there wasn't much going on, especially in the presence of a police car,” Wright said. “People drive absolutely incredibly well when there's a police car near them.
“So these were the people that were maybe not paying attention and we were able to identify them.”
Protective services director Justin Andrew said Wright has a great ability to allocate RCMP resources “to see a dramatic impact.”
Andrew cited drug enforcement initiatives, the targeting of prolific offenders and round-ups of offenders with outstanding warrants as examples of that.
“So I think there's some exciting things that show a lot of benefit and fruit to the community that will be coming forward throughout the calendar year for you,” Andrew said.
Coun. James Cummings agreed with Wright’s point about how relatively safe the traffic is in Olds, especially in regard to motor vehicle collision and injury statistics.
“All of these statistics here lead me to believe what you have said before: we really don't have unsafe roads,” Cummings said.
“But we have to respond to our citizens’ concerns -- anecdotal concerns -- that there are serious crime or serious life, injury concerns, about driving in our town.”
Coun. Dan Daley praised the RCMP’s traffic report and the visibility of police officers in the community, saying that visibility “was very much improved during that period of time.”
“I personally have noticed several officers cruising the streets and stuff and I appreciate that in regards to hearing our citizens’ concerns as well,” he said.
