Across Saskatchewan, 482 people were caught while driving impaired in June. SGI also revealed there were 319 Criminal Code charges and each charge comes with an immediate, indefinite driver’s licence suspension and a minimum 30-day vehicle impoundment.
An impaired driver faces fines starting at $1,000, upon conviction. Also, Safe Driver Recognition penalties starting at $1,250, and longer-term driving suspensions. Impaired drivers are also required to take driver education and install Ignition Interlock
in their vehicle.
Saskatchewan police also issued 831 tickets for distracted driving, including 719 for using a cellphone while driving and 5,336 tickets for speeding or aggressive driving offences in June.
St. Paul and Vermilion RCMP also spotlight impairment
On the Alberta side of the border, St. Paul and Vermilion RCMP are focussing on impaired driving this month. They say that people will take the summer months to socialize but they caution against being impaired and getting behind the wheel.
They note that in 2019, about one in eight drivers involved in a fatal collision was legally impaired at the time of the crash.
As well, police caution about the effects of combining cannabis with alcohol as this further intensifies the impacts on the ability to drive.
Police cite Health Canada’s 2021 Cannabis Survey which indicated that 21% of people who had used cannabis in the past 12 months reported they had driven within two hours of using cannabis, and 35% of those respondents did so within the past 30 days.
“RCMP Alberta Traffic is committed to enhancing public safety by reducing harm and hazardous behaviours on Alberta roadways through strategic partnerships, enforcement, education and crime reduction initiatives.” says Cpl. Trevor Schmidt of the Alberta RCMP St. Paul/Vermillion Traffic Services Unit.