The Saskatchewan government is strengthening efforts against impaired driving through legislation, more tools for law enforcement, and doing more to build awareness.
“Drinking and driving has taken far too many lives in this province and people need to get the message that it is never acceptable, period,” Joe Hargrave minister responsible for Saskatchewan Government Insurance said. “Our government is committed to reducing the number of lives lost and people injured due to impaired driving.”
Saskatchewan has the highest rate, per capita, of impaired driving fatalities in Canada. In 2015 in Saskatchewan, there were nearly 1,200 impaired driving collisions killing 53 people and injuring 578 others.
Amendments to The Traffic Safety Act will be introduced this fall to:
Add a three-day vehicle seizure for experienced drivers who are charged for the first time with having a blood alcohol content (BAC) over .04.
Apply zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol to drivers 21 and under.
Strengthen ignition interlock laws to be the most effective in Canada, by extending mandatory ignition interlock to drivers who register a BAC over .16 or refuse to provide a breath sample (1st offence - two years; 2nd offence - five years; 3rd and subsequent offence - 10 years).
