RM of Ste. Anne council and RCMP discuss safety concerns on Highway 12 at 210

The R.M. of Ste. Anne council continues to look for options to improve safety at the intersection of Highway 12 and PR 210 at Ste. Anne. 

When Steinbach RCMP Staff Sergeant Guy Landreville attended the recent council meeting to offer his quarterly report, it did not take long for the topic to turn to that intersection, which is well-known for the number of crashes that occur there. 

Deputy Reeve Randy Eros said they often see multiple vehicles in the intersection at one time, trying to make a turn, and they believe that is part of the problem. He asked Landreville if safety might be improved with greater police presence at that location. 

“When the police go by and there’s three cars in that intersection, maybe (the motorists) need to be educated that, ‘you guys are doing that wrong.’  We see a role maybe for the Police Department to do more of that as we struggle with how the province comes up with solutions to that intersection.” 

While the staff sergeant was quick to acknowledge the concerns of the council, he responded by saying that education is not really the problem. 

“People know that,” said Landreville. “When they take drivers-ed or get their driver's license. They know that. Everybody knows you can't have three vehicles in the intersection at one time.” 

He believes people will be more responsive when their poor driving habits are called out by their peers, rather than the police. 

“We’re telling people to educate themselves,” Landreville said. “And maybe if they see three cars there and one of them is their neighbor or their friend, family member, take it upon yourself to maybe talk to them and say, ‘what are you doing? You know you can't do that, right?’ And I think a lot of people want to, they want to put it on us when it should be on them as well.” 

While he did not deny the request for greater police presence at the 12 and 210 intersection, Landreville clearly stated that he believes it would not have the impact that council is seeking. 

“We can sit there all day and write tickets all day long, but the minute we leave, they’re going to do it again,” said Landreville. 

There was also the suggestion from council that using an unmarked police vehicle to monitor that intersection might be enough to spread the word that drivers need to use that intersection properly or they’ll get a ticket. 

“That’s wishful thinking,” responded the staff sergeant. “It really is, because right now, it doesn’t matter what we do, we’re still going to get that.”