By TERRY PUGH
A highway checkstop south of Martensville on Wednesday, May 14 was aimed at preventing accidents before they happened.
Corman Park Police, along with several other law enforcement agencies, conducted roadside inspections of recreational, utility and livestock trailers at the intersection of Highway 12 and Township Road 381. Light-duty vehicles towing trailers were flagged for inspection to make sure htey are roadworthy.
Corman Park Police Chief Ron Chomyn said the initiative was aimed at both enforcement and education.
“Each spring since 2020, we’ve joined forces with our partnering agencies to focus on seasonal vehicles that come out over the summer months, primarily recreational RVs, boats and utility trailers,” said Chomyn. “Light truck and trailer safety inspections ensure vehicles are maintained to legal standards, enhancing road safety for everyone.”
He noted that identifying potential issues on trucks, SUVs and trailers ensures vehicles are structurally sound and prevent collisions.
“These inspections identify potential problems before they escalate into major breakdowns, preventing serious consequences,” he said.
For a four-hour period from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., police officers inspected tow vehicles and trailers for proper hitches, safety chains, functioning lights, tires, brake systems, suspensions, tie down straps, and registration of vehicle and trailer.
Corman Park Police, RM of Vanscoy Police, RCMP, Saskatchewan Conservation Officer Service, and other police agencies took part in the checkstop.
“These joint initiatives, including impaired driving checkstops, are quite common,” said Chomyn. “The Corman Park Police Service organized this particular initiative. Even though we’re a relatively small police service and we cover a vast geographic area, we’re able to undertake these projects by cooperating with our partner agencies. That collaboration makes the best use of our resources and helps to keep the public safe.”