In their continued effort to address safety issues and educate citizens on the rules of the road, the Halifax Regional Police/RCMP Integrated Traffic Unit is reminding motorists of the importance of safe winter driving practices.

During Operation Winter Wise, members of the Unit will conduct checkpoints throughout HRM, handing out pamphlets and advising drivers of the importance of sufficiently equipping their vehicles for the harsh Nova Scotia winter season.

Tips include the importance of winter tires and wiper blades, clearing of snow and ice from vehicles and slowing down during adverse driving conditions. Many winter driving collisions are attributed to drivers not adjusting their speed to road and weather conditions.

During Operation Impact in October, the Unit focused on seatbelt enforcement. The overwhelming majority of drivers and passengers were buckled up, but not everyone was wearing their seatbelt. The Unit wrote a total of 688 Summary offence tickets during the month, 75 for seatbelt violations.