REGINA — Some drivers came out of the holiday season with a bigger regret than just an inflated credit card bill.
Saskatchewan’s police agencies reported 414 impaired driving offences for the month of December. As a result of strong impaired driving enforcement – including dozens of checkstops and other less obvious tactics -- there were 240 people charged with an impaired driving offence under the Criminal Code, and another 174 were issued sanctions – including licence suspensions and vehicle impoundments -- for exceeding provincial limits for alcohol (., .) or drugs (zero tolerance for all drivers).
All impaired driving offences come with penalties and requirements to attend courses. The penalties are more severe upon conviction, and they can also result in suspensions,, depending on the severity of the offence and the driver’s record.
While this news release is about the hundreds of people who were caught driving impaired in December, it’s also worth noting that over the holiday season, thousands of people made good decisions and chose not to drive after drinking or using drugs. SGI and enforcement agencies offer kudos to everyone who got a ride home from a taxi, a bus, a rideshare, a designated driving service, Operation Red Nose or a sober friend or family member.
The holidays may be over, but finding a safe ride is something that drivers should do year-round. Impaired driving offences come with a wide range of penalties that can wreck your budget, but an impaired driving collision can destroy so much more than that.
Other results from December:
- 254 tickets for seatbelt and occupant restraint offences;
- 2,931 tickets for speeding and aggressive driving offences; and
- 491 tickets issued for distracted driving
- 411 for using cellphone while driving, and
- 80 for driving without due care and attention.
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