As the final long weekend of the summer starts Friday, don't be surprised to see a large RCMP presence on Alberta highways.

With four deaths during the August long weekend Constable Sharon Franks is hoping drivers take all the necessary precautions when heading out this weekend.

"We would really encourage people to take patience behind the wheel when they're driving," she says. "Plan their vacation travels in a timely fashion so they're not rushed to reach their destination. Often times we find motorists getting frustrated because there may be construction or some other hazards on the road, sometimes this can lead to a collision.

Franks heavily emphasized that speed and alcohol are the usual factors in unnecessary collisions.

"During the August long weekend we attended three collisions where four people died," she said. "I think the other contributing factors are often times people are in a rush, people may be distracted, people may not be not abiding by the laws of the road and in addition to that we're unfortunately still finding people who are impaired driving."

Franks knows it can be stressful on the roads for those getting away but also for the officers themselves on patrol.

"Generally there's more vehicles on the highway and we just want to encourage people to drive in a safe manner because everyone's responsible for themselves on that highway and you're also responsible for everybody on that road," she says. "So take part in providing us with a safe long weekend for everyone."

Franks also mentions that drivers should be aware of farmers harvesting their crop as they've already been a part of a few collisions involving vehicles and farm equipment.

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