According to an SGI press release, with the holiday season now underway, law enforcement across the province will be paying extra attention to impaired driving during December's month-long traffic safety blitz, Operation Overdrive.
This month, law enforcement officers are also asking for the public's help in keeping impaired drivers off the roads. Those who see a driver suspected of being impaired by drugs or alcohol, are asked to pull over and call 911. The Report Impaired Drivers program is in force across the province year-round.
"We can all help make our roads safer - both by choosing not to drink and drive, and by reporting suspected impaired drivers through the RID program," said Andrew Cartmell, president and CEO of SGI. "Let's ensure everyone gets home safely to celebrate the season with family, friends and loved ones."
From Dec. 1, 2012 to Jan. 1, 2013, one person was killed and 46 others were injured in 111 impaired driving collisions in Saskatchewan, the release states.
"Think of this as the best holiday gift you could ever give to your family," said Chief Troy Hagen, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police. "Commit to your safety, and theirs, by choosing not to drink and drive. And when you report a suspected impaired driver through RID, you're paying that gift of safety forward."
In the release, SGI and its law enforcement partners also remind motorists to always plan a safe ride home: choose a designated driver, call a cab, take the bus, use a designated driving service or call Operation Red Nose, if applicable. With so many options to get home safely, there's simply no excuse to drink and drive, the release states.
During the month-long Operation Overdrive blitz in December 2012, police checked more than 8,600 vehicles and issued more than 2,400 tickets, including 217 for impaired driving.
