Police nabbed 450 impaired drivers in March: SGI

Police in Saskatchewan reported 450 impaired driving offences last month.

According to SGI, those totals for March included 250 Criminal Code charges and 200 roadside licence suspensions, 30 of which were for new drivers.

While a blood-alcohol concentration of .08 or higher will land a driver a criminal charge, SGI spent the month of March reminding drivers that the provincial limits are lower, but still come with serious penalties.

“When drivers exceed provincial limits, they face consequences that include short-term licence suspensions and vehicle impoundments, along with demerits under the Safe Driver Recognition program and a requirement to attend a mandatory impaired driving education program,” SGI said in a statement.

Experienced drivers start facing penalties at a blood alcohol concentration of .04, SGI noted, and for new drivers, any alcohol in their system at all will result in penalties that start with a 60-day licence suspension.

Drivers caught with any amount of drugs in their system are also considered impaired, SGI added.

“When someone makes the choice to drive impaired, they’re choosing to make the roads less safe for themselves and everyone else on the road,” the Crown insurance company said in a statement.

“If you’re using alcohol or drugs, you can keep yourself and others safe and stay out of trouble by finding a safe ride home. There are plenty of other options that won’t put yourself and others at risk.”

Also in March, police handed out 509 tickets for seatbelt or restraint offences, 4,709 tickets for speeding and aggressive driving, and 837 tickets for distracted driving – 753 of which were for using a cellphone while behind the wheel.

This month, SGI said it’s focusing on the Report Impaired Drivers program.

“If you see a driver you believe is driving impaired, call 911,” SGI said.