Fort McPherson (Aug 14/06) - Are people being careful enough on the Dempster Highway? This is the question some drivers are asking after the second accident on the remote roadway in three weeks.

A blue SUV flipped off an embankment near Peel River, smashing its windshield and rolling into the bush, Aug. 5.

The driver was seriously injured and sent to Edmonton for treatment.

Three weeks earlier, five men were killed as their minivan crashed in a ditch near the NWT/Yukon border.

Authorities said it is important to understand the Dempster's limitations, and slow down to avoid slipping off the gravel.

Across the north, few people know the Dempster as well as long-distance truckers like David Whyte and Brian Mann, who drive from Inuvik to Edmonton once a week.

Both Whyte and Mann said they often slow down to avoid potholes and other obstacles, which can damage their trucks or shipments.

"There's some things like small rocks sticking out of the road, you have to be careful," Whyte said.

Mann added that sliding off the road is another problem.

He recalls parking a truck by the roadside a few weeks ago and being surprised to see it suddenly lurch to the side.

He said there was nothing to he could do as the 50,000-pound truck slid right into a ditch.

"After the rain, it gets really slippery when the water soaks into the ground," Whyte explained.

He added, however, that he believes the Dempster is getting better, especially between Ogilve Point and Eagle Plains - a region midway through the trip that had previously been so bad it earned a vulgar nickname from truckers.

RCMP said a truck travelling near Peel River, between Fort McPherson and Midway Lake, flipped off a raised curve causing serious injury to the driver.

The crash happened near several signs which warn drivers to slow down because of sharp curves.

Ian Campbell, an RCMP constable in Fort McPherson, said the cause of the crash is unknown. He said the driver was brought to Inuvik Regional Hospital and then Edmonton for further treatment.

"It is my understanding the driver sustained some serious injuries," he said.

Upon closer inspection on Aug. 6, the truck was found to have its windshield smashed, its side windows broken, its body badly scratched and its roof crushed inwards.

Campbell said the truck rolled over before settling in the brush.

He said the accident should remind drivers to slow down on the Dempster.

"Keep your speeds low, keep your headlights on," he said.

While some drivers might be complaining about highway conditions, transport authorities said the Dempster is safe.

Gurdev Jagpal, regional superintendent for the department of transportation, said the Dempster's condition is currently listed as fair.

He said certain limits must be expected of a gravel road, which will never be as safe as a paved highway.

"People often forget they are not on a paved road," he said.

Jagpal adds the department is constantly spot gravelling and re-surfacing the Dempster when sections are found to be dangerous.

He said the responsibility of identifying these spots and marking them falls upon highway foreman Russel Andre, from Tsiigehtchic, who patrols the highway every day.

Jagpal added Andre can always be reached by drivers worried about bad spots in the highway.

"People should watch for loose gravel and rough conditions, and slow down," Jagpal said. This advice is repeated by Whyte, who, along with Mann, travels 106-hours a week on the Dempster.

Whyte said it's important for people to realize the Dempster is dangerous if it's not travelled at a reasonable speed. "I agree it's fair. Fair is not good, but it's not bad" he said.