545 drivers should have opted to #FindASafeRide in December
362 impaired administrative suspensions, 183 Criminal Code charges reported
Police were heavily focused on impaired driving enforcement over the holiday season and those efforts resulted in 545 impaired driving offences reported for December.
Last month, as promised, law enforcement across Saskatchewan held dozens of checkstops, along with other less-visible forms of enforcement. As a result, there were 183 Criminal Code impaired driving offences and 362 administrative for exceeding provincial limits.
The majority of administrative suspensions (241) were related to drugs. The other 121 were due to alcohol. The prevalence of drug-related suspensions coincides with police having more widespread access to roadside oral fluid testers that can determine whether a driver has been using cannabis and other drugs.
Administrative suspensions are issued when someone is caught driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) between .04 to .08 and/or they have drugs in their system. Whether it’s for alcohol or drugs, the consequences are essentially the same: a licence suspension (starting at three days; longer if it’s a repeat offence or a new driver), vehicle impoundment, demerits and the requirement to take a weekend impaired driver education course. The penalties for Criminal Code impaired driving offences are even stricter, with fines and potential imprisonment, longer-term driving suspensions and vehicle impoundments, Ignition Interlock requirements, and significant financial penalties under the Safe Driver Recognition program.
Other results from the December Traffic Safety Spotlight:
3,803 tickets for speeding and aggressive driving offences;
234 tickets for people not wearing a seatbelt, or not using the proper car seat or booster; and
486 tickets for distracted driving, including 412 for using a cellphone.