Three dead in pair of related crashes on Manitoba highway: RCMP

'It affects so many northern Manitobans' Three deaths in a pair of Highway 6 crashes have sparked renewed calls for safety improvements on the road. CTV's Danton Unger reports.

Three people are dead following a pair of related collisions on Highway 6 on Monday.

The incidents began around 3:45 p.m. on Monday about 40 kilometres south of Grand Rapids. According to RCMP, an SUV and minivan, which was operating as a handivan, were involved in a head-on crash.

RCMP officers, the Grand Rapids Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services came to the scene to help.

According to police, a 42-year-old woman, who was in the front seat of the minivan as a passenger, was taken to the Grand Rapids Nursing Station where she was pronounced dead.

One other passenger and the 54-year-old male driver of the van sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

A 23-year-old woman, who was the front-seat passenger of the SUV, died at the scene of the crash. The two other passengers and the driver of the SUV sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Mounties said early investigations have determined that the driver of the SUV crossed the centre line, colliding with the minivan.

Police continue to investigate. No charges have been laid at this time.

Following the crash, the highway was closed from 4 p.m. until 11 p.m.

Officers told the drivers that it would be a long closure and many of them opted to turn around.

When the highway reopened, a northbound SUV wouldn’t start as it had a drained battery from the long wait.

Around 11:30 p.m., the driver of a southbound pickup truck turned around to assist the SUV and pulled up behind it. All occupants got out of both vehicles and were standing roadside.

According to RCMP, a northbound van pulling a loaded trailer crashed into the back of the pickup truck, which then hit the SUV, causing the SUV to strike two of the people standing roadside. Both individuals had been occupants of the SUV.

A 33-year-old man died at the scene, and a 36-year-old man sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation continues.

Highway 6 safety concerns

According to data from Manitoba, there have been four fatal collisions on the highway in 2024, resulting in six deaths.

That is up from just one fatal collision each in 2023 and 2022 – both years only one death each.

However, in 2023 there were six crashes that resulted in nine people suffering serious injuries, while in 2022, there were four crashes that saw six people get seriously hurt.

There have been no serious injury crashes in 2024.

Volker Beckman, a member of the Safer Highway 6 Citizens Action Group, said the group has been advocating for change to the highway ever since NDP MLA Danielle Adams was killed while driving on the stretch of road.

"We would like to see passing lanes, we'd like to see wider shoulders, we'd like to see better cell service, we'd like to see rest stops," said Beckman.

He said some of these changes could help with fatigue, but also give people some peace of mind while driving.

"If I knew there was a passing lane in 30, 40 kilometres, you would always hold back until you had a safer condition to do that. So all these elements could (make for a) safer highway to northern Manitoba."

He said it is terrible to hear about crashes on Highway 6 and they are made even worse when you know the people involved.

"When we made a list for the action group of people who've been involved in accidents, I think we came up with over 60 names of people. I was surprised when I found out there was about 20, 22 (people) that I knew personally," he said. "I dare anybody in Winnipeg to say they know 22 or 23 people who've been involved in highway accidents. That's how it affects so many northern Manitobans and many in the north will not drive at all in the wintertime."