By Ian Holmes

Stats show Island Highways can be treacherous May long weekend

May 19, 2017 | 1:34 PM

NANAIMO — The numbers don’t lie – May long weekend can be dangerous on local highways.

There were 290 crashes which injured 52 people on Vancouver Island roads on Victoria Day long weekend last year, according to ICBC.

Central Island Traffic Services RCMP Cpl. Mike Elston told NanaimoNewsNOW congestion can lead to frustration.

“There’s risky behavior that people tend to engage in when they feel like they’re not getting somewhere in the time that they’re looking to get there,” Elston said.

He said we’ve hit the unofficial kick-off to the summer driving season, which means not only more vehicles, but also slow-moving recreational vehicles and trucks towing boats.

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“They have to understand it’s going to take time, there’s nothing you can do about it…just go with the flow of traffic.”

Elston said drivers need to be aware of less visible motorcyclists and cyclists who dust off their bikes this time of year.

“Every year it seems that there’s at least one very, very serious accident in the cental island area regarding motorcycles and there’s a lot of near misses.”

Elston also warned there will be beefed up enforcement with a national impaired driving day this weekend.

“There will be roadblocks in places and we don’t always do them on the main routes, sometimes we put them on the backroads because we know that people try to avoid them.”

RCMP report 113 alcohol and drug infraction tickets were handed out province-wide last May long weekend.

ian.holmes@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @reporterholmes