Police forces, including the Weyburn Police Service and the RCMP, will be paying extra attention to impaired driving during a month-long traffic safety blitz, Operation Overdrive.
Police forces, including the Weyburn Police Service and the RCMP, will be paying extra attention to impaired driving during a month-long traffic safety blitz, Operation Overdrive.
The police are also asking for the public's assistance in keeping impaired drivers off the road; if anyone sees a driver they suspect is impaired with alcohol or drugs, they are encouraged to pull over and dial 911. The Report Impaired Drivers (RID) program is in force across the province year-round.
"Let's ensure everyone gets home safely to celebrate the season with family, friends and loved ones," said Andrew Cartmell, president and CEO of SGI.
Last year, from Dec. 1, 2012 to Jan. 1, 2013, one person was killed and 46 others were injured in 11 collisions involved impaired driving in Saskatchewan.
"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," he added.
SGI and its law enforcement partners would also like to remind motorists to plan a safe ride home: choose a designated driver, call a cab, use a designated driving service, or call Operation Red Nose if applicable.
During the Operation Overdrive blitz in December last year, police checked more than 8,600 vehicles and issued more than 2,400 tickets, including 217 for impaired driving.
