Poll looks at drinking and driving in Saskatchewan

One in five people who responded to a recent poll in Saskatchewan said it’s OK to drink and drive—as long as it’s for a short distance on a quiet road.

It’s one of the findings in a poll conducted by Mainstreet Analytics, the results of which were released Monday. Mainstreet surveyed a random sample of 1,690 Saskatchewan residents between Aug. 22-23 by calling a mixture of landlines and cellphone numbers.

The poll has a  margin of error +/- 2.38 per cent, 19 times out of 20. Results were weighed by age and gender based on the 2011 Canadian Census.

The poll first analyzed the political landscape by asking people the party they would support if the election was held now, before delving into the issue of impaired driving.

It started by asking people if they have ever been a passenger in a vehicle with an impaired driver, to which 15 per cent of respondents said yes.

Eleven per cent would not say and five per cent were not sure.

When asked if they had ever driven a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, 86 per cent of people polled said no, while eight per cent said yes and four per cent would not say.

The poll also asked about former SGI and Highways Minister Don McMorris, who stepped down from cabinet after he was recently charged with impaired driving. 

The poll asked people if McMorris should seek re-election after his charges are dealt with by the courts and 68 per cent of respondents said no.

A further 10 per cent said he should seek re-election, while 22 per cent answered they were unsure.

The final question asked people to agree or disagree with the statement: ‘Driving under the influence is OK if you are travelling a short distance on quiet roads.’ 

In all of Saskatchewan, 19 per cent of respondents said yes; although the numbers were lower in Saskatoon and Regina than in rural parts of the province.