The Carlyle RCMP and traffic enforcement officers in Saskatchewan will be working even harder to track down impaired drivers. While the Carlyle RCMP aims to increase the amount of impair charges by 10%, and place on ongoing focus on apprehending impaired drivers throughout the year, SGI has recently put out a news release for a traffic safety blitz this month.
Operation Overdrive aims to target impaired driving, and to emphasize the fact that drunk drivers will get caught. Operation Overdrive is province wide with numerous police agencies participating in the event, and helping to concentrate their efforts on apprehending impaired drivers during the two-day blitz.
Along with targeting and apprehending impaired drivers, Operation Overdrive also works to raise public awareness on the issue. Despite the fact that drinking and driving is the number one cause of fatal crashes in Saskatchewan, many people still choose to drink and drive, often with the frame of mind that they will not get caught.
It is in no way justifiable to endanger your life and the lives of others by driving while impaired, and that message needs to be reiterated again and again it seems. There are too many people out their drinking and driving, and not getting caught. Hopefully a blitz and an increase in impaired driving charges will help to act as a deterrent, if only temporarily.
Drinking and driving is a constant problem in Saskatchewan and it needs more focus and more action, and 92% of the people in Saskatchewan agree that it is a serious concern. Last year there were more than 1,400 impaired driving collisions resulting in over 760 injuries and 69 deaths.
What if those injuries or deaths were a close friend, a member of your family . . . a niece or nephew, or a parent? What about all the people who have already suffered the loss of a loved one due to impaired driving? These people that get into a vehicle and drive while impaired need to realize the dangers and the consequences of their actions, and they need to be aware before it's too late, before more fatalities that tear people apart occur. What if you were responsible for killing a friend, or someone that people loved? Even facing a DUI charge would be quite detrimental to your person, and is not cheap. Drinking and driving is not worth the risks, and it is absolutely not acceptable.
If you're going to drink, plan a safe ride home and stick to it. There are numerous options available; you do not have to drive.
While Operation Overdrive targets impaired drivers this December, a provincial traffic blitz will be held each month and will target a specific traffic safety issue. The first of these blitzes took place this past November. Operation Handsfree resulted in 207 people being fined for using their cellphone while driving.
Avoid the risks, drive sober, and drive safe.
