A new report by Manitoba Public Insurance shows most "super speeders" in Manitoba are men aged 34 and under.

According to MPI and RCMP, a total of 522 speed-related Serious Driving Offences (SDO) were forwarded to MPI in 2020. This is a 60 per cent increase over 2019. Police reports confirm that more than fifty per cent of these "super speeders" were caught on the following roadways: Highway 1, Highway 59, Perimeter Highway, Highway 16 and Highway 6.

As per the Drivers and Vehicles Act, speed infractions of 50 km/h or more over the limit are one of several offences that must be reported to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles. After receiving the Serious Offense Notice roadside, drivers are given five business days to contact MPI to schedule a Show Cause Hearing.

"Excessive speeds is potentially fatal for the responsible driver, their passengers and all other innocent motorists," says Satvir Jatana, Vice-President, Employee and Community Engagement, Manitoba Public Insurance. "These super speeds are inexcusable. About one in five road fatalities in Manitoba have speed as a contributing factor. This high-risk driving behaviour is careless and potentially fatal."

Chris Moore is the Officer in Charge of Traffic Services for Manitoba RCMP. He says when people drive really fast, there is a good chance they could end up in a serious, even fatal collision.

"You risk being transported to the morgue as opposed to arriving a few minutes early. It is simply not worth it," says Moore. "Whether it is a timing factor or an adrenaline high, there is absolutely no excuse for these excessive speeds, and the RCMP has zero tolerance for this behaviour. Make smart choices."

MPI statistics report that about 90 per cent of these speed-related, Show Cause hearings result in license suspension. Suspension penalties are based on the speed recorded on the ticket and the person's driving history. Length of license suspension can range from several months to multiple years.

In addition, the responsible driver is issued a hefty fine and could also face criminal charges such as Dangerous Driving depending on conditions and behaviour.

Of the speed-related SDOs forwarded to MPI, the average speed is about 60 km/h over the posted speed limit.