Grisly reminders about safety

This weekend was particularly deadly for driving in this part of the province. Three people died in a rollover near Duck Lake on Sunday, while another man died in another rollover, this time on the Big River First Nation on Saturday.

The incidents are still under investigation and the causes of the crashes are not known.

The families and friends of the deceased have our condolences.

Usually, it's the day after a long weekend that we hear about carnage on the roads.

But these incidents, no matter what the cause was, serve to remind us that driving requires a clear, focused mind at all times.

With perfect if morbid timing, the incidents come just before children head back to school for another year.

Drivers are reminded from many quarters to slow down and pay attention when in or near school zones.

Yet that advice should apply to all drivers at all times of the year.

A moving vehicle is unforgiving of a mind clouded by alcohol or drugs, distracted by talking or texting on a cellphone, or fatigued from lack of sleep.

People who get behind the wheel have to take their task seriously, lest they add themselves or others to the toll of driving deaths.