Between people celebrating Canada's 150th birthday, free admission to Canada's National Parks, kids having finished school for the summer and families starting their vacations, the Canada Day long weekend promises to live up to its 'busiest travel time of the year' reputation.

The RCMP are reminding everyone that they can expect increased traffic volumes and slower traffic flow on Alberta roads this weekend.

Constable Mike Hibbs summed things up for drivers this weekend.  "There's a lot of celebrations going on this year with Canada's 150th birthday so there'll be a lot more people out in different areas.  Take your time, drive within the speed limit, don't drink and drive and don't be distracted when you drive."

Hibbs says the RCMP are still coming across many drivers who refuse to put down their cell phones when they drive.  "We're still finding a lot of people are operating vehicles on their cell phones and other distractions in the vehicle as well."

The free admission being offered by Parks Canada has already impacted roads around those areas.  "We're already seeing a big impact on our National Parks.  The speed limits are reduced in some areas and there's a lot of wildlife.  We want people to enjoy the scenery and the wildlife but don't get involved in collisions with other vehicles and of course the wildlife," says Hibbs.

Hibbs advises if you see wildlife and want to stop for a photo opportunity to make sure you only stop and pull over when it's safe to do so and in a manner that won't obstruct traffic.  

In 2016 there were a total of 56,064 motor vehicle collisions reported in the province.  213 were fatal and resulted in 237 deaths.

RCMP say the presence of alcohol or drugs and the improper use of safety equipment, including seat belts and helmets were some of the most common contributing factors in those collisions.

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