An RCMP spokesperson in Manitoba says the upward trend in fatal crashes is difficult to see when he knows many of the incidents could have been prevented.

There were at least seven fatal crashes in our province between Sunday, August 16 and Friday, Aug 21. The list includes a crash west of Falcon Lake that claimed the life of a 20-year-old male, a collision with a pedestrian near Richer that killed a 46-year-old male, a single-vehicle crash near Virden that killed an 18-year-old male, a single-vehicle crash near Ste. Rose du Lac that killed a 36-year-old male, an ATV crash near Fisher Branch that killed a nine-year-old boy, a crash involving a vehicle and motorcycle on McGillivray Boulevard that killed a 71-year old male and a crash involving a vehicle and train west of Portage that killed a 71-year-old male.

Sergeant Paul Manaigre says in the past three and a half years, he has seen the number of road fatalities, particularly in southern Manitoba, increase. While crashes can happen anywhere, he has noticed many recent fatalities have come from the southern part of the province. He cautions that the recent fatal crashes over the past few days are part of a larger uptick.

"You have to look at it over the year," Manaigre says.

In 2019, the number of fatalities was in the mid-forties at this time of the year. This year, that number is in the mid-fifties.

"That is 10 deaths more than last year's average (with) the five-year being approximately 47. It is not a huge number over the averages, but I am not liking the trend that it is going up," Manaigre says.

The Sergeant says he sees three major components in fatal crashes: speeding, drinking, and not wearing a seatbelt.

"I would like to think it is complacency. People just have that belief that 'it is not going to happen to me or somebody I know' but tragedy can strike anywhere."

Even if someone has been driving for many decades, the Sergeant says drivers need to be attentive as crashes can happen to anyone at any age.

"Maybe it has not caught up to you yet, but to me, it is a matter of time. It is not if, it is when," Manaigre says.

To become a better driver and prepare for the possibility of a crash, Manaigre says advanced training can be done.

He says the training teaches drivers how to react if danger is in front of them.

"You may not be the cause of (a crash), it could be someone that is in front of you... you need all your facilities in play when you are driving behind the wheel."

He says drivers should be paying attention to the road at all times.