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By Nicole Reis

Community Safety

RCMP warning residents to leave hitchhikers alone

Dec 4, 2019 | 4:19 PM

RCMP is warning the public not to hitchhike or pick hitchhikers up on roadways.

Cpl. Rob King said hitchhiking has not been safe since the 50s but people are still doing it.

“There’s no safe way to hitchhike. There are other means to get a ride like friends, people you can hire privately that are giving rides. There are lots of small courier companies that give rides in and outside communities. You’re getting into a small confined space with a stranger, neither one of you can readily defend yourself if something goes wrong,” King told meadowlakeNOW.

Since the dismantling of Saskatchewan Transportation Company busses in 2017, local residents are placing ads on social media looking for transportation in and around the district.

“It’s not safe for a driver either. You’re picking up a transient stranger, you’re in a position where you can’t identify yourself if you’ve got of the vehicle and you can’t watch them the entire time and they’re within arms-reach of you,” he said.

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According to SGI media relations officer, Tyler McMurchy, there were no hitchhiking fatalities or injuries recorded in the Traffic Accident Information System (TAIS) report for the province in 2018.

The report did indicate 238 pedestrians suffered an injury or a fatality on provincial roads which include walking along roads while facing traffic and running on to roads.

With files from CKOM

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722