Police blitz nabs 381 impaired drivers

Results from SGI’s traffic safety blitz for December were released last week and they do not paint a pretty picture.

Despite all the public awareness around drinking and driving over the past several decades, drivers continue to get behind the wheel drunk in unacceptable numbers. Police issued nearly 400 impaired driving citations in December including 264 for a blood alcohol content (BAC) exceeding .08.

There are three levels of impaired driving in Saskatchewan. For drivers less than 19 years of age and all drivers in graduated driver’s licence programs the limit is zero. A first offence carries an immediate licence suspension of 60 days, three-day vehicle impoundment and a requirement to complete a DWI course within 120 days.

For experienced drivers who blow .04 to .08, there is a immediate three-day licence suspension and DWI course.

Over .08 for anybody means Criminal Code charges.

“With so many options available to get home safely, there’s simply no excuse to risk killing yourself or another innocent road user by driving impaired,“ said Andrew Cartmell, president and CEO of SGI. “Plan a safe ride home. Choose a designated driver, call a designated driving service, call a cab, take the bus or use SGI’s free Safe Ride App.”

Chief Troy Hagen, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, took an even stronger tone.

“People who drink and drive aren’t just choosing for themselves; their decisions and actions can take someone else’s life or change it forever,” he said. “With our partners, we will continue diligent enforcement of the laws, but true progress comes with changing attitude toward drinking and driving and making this recklessness forever unacceptable.”

During the December safety blitz police also handed out 1,847 tickets for speeding, 135 tickets for cellphone use while driving, and 171 tickets to people not using a seatbelt, car seat or booster seat.

SGI is also reminding drivers that on February 8, speeding tickets will be sent to drivers recorded by the province’s new video enforcement cameras located in and around Saskatoon, Regina and Moose Jaw.

In December, SGI recorded 21,677 speeding violations across the province. If the violations had resulted in fines rather than warnings, the province would have netted almost $3 million, The base fine for speeding is $110 plus $1 for every kilometre per hour over the limit. In school zones, the fine is increased to $190 plus $2 for every kilometre-per-hour over the posted limit.