REGINA — Impaired driving is the focus of the December Traffic Safety Spotlight, and you can expect to see an increase in police enforcement throughout the holiday season.
Checkstops will be conducted frequently across the province this month, and you never know where or when you’ll encounter one. Last year, police across the province held dozens of checkstops during the month of December, and it’s a tradition that will continue this year, in addition to other less-conspicuous forms of enforcement.
SGI advises drivers to remember to #FindASafeRide home and make sure any vehicle they are in has a sober driver, to ensure a stay at a check stop is brief and pleasant.
“Making the choice to find a safe ride ensures not just our own safety but the safety of everyone around us,” SGI president and CEO Penny McCune said. “Together, we can make sure our celebrations are filled with joy, warmth and safety for all."
Any driver may be asked to provide a quick breath sample into an approved screening device to ensure they haven’t been drinking. Police also have access to oral fluid testing devices that can determine whether a driver has recently used cannabis.
When it comes to getting home safely during the holiday season (or any other time), you have options:
• Call a sober friend or family member to come pick you up;
• Select a designated driver for your group (or volunteer to be one);
• Take a cab, a rideshare, a designated driving service or Operation Red Nose*;
• Use public transit (you can ride for free on New Year’s Eve in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw);
• Stay the night.
While Saskatchewan has made strides in decreasing impaired driving collisions and fatalities over the last decade, even once person hurt is too many, because impaired driving is always preventable.
*Operation Red Nose is available on weekends throughout December and on New Year’s Eve in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, the Battlefords and Yorkton.
Make sure you follow SGI on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Threads for more information on this month’s Traffic Safety Spotlight.
Bookmark SASKTODAY.ca, Saskatchewan's home page, at this link.
