SGI urges people to find safe rides on New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve is often a time of celebration, but Saskatchewan’s insurance issuer wants to make sure people have a safe ride home tonight.

SGI’s Jeremy Pilon says people can take a cab or rideshare, or even use public transportation if they plan on heading out and having some drinks.

“There are a lot of reasons not to drink and drive. If you get caught impaired while you’re driving, be that alcohol or cannabis or anything else that can impair you, there’s a whole list of things that can happen,” Pilon said.

“You can have your vehicle impounded, mandatory ignition interlock just to get back on into your vehicle. There could be fines, prison time, license suspensions. But the one that I think is most important that people remember is that you can injure or even kill someone. It could be yourself or someone in your vehicle.”

Pilon also said people can appoint someone in their group as a designated driver.

Ride the bus for free on New Year’s Eve! 🥳
Leave your car at home and take the bus for your safe ride.
In partnership with @sgitweets, free service will be available from 7PM-3AM on Dec 31.
GO: https://t.co/MYG58C238V#yxe #RideforFreeonNYE pic.twitter.com/9HPT0CBoBj

— Saskatoon Transit (@stoontransit) December 27, 2024

Both Regina and Saskatoon will be offering free transit services from 7 p.m. Tuesday until 3.a.m. Jan.1.

Pilon said one out of every three collisions in the province is caused by impaired driving.

“Thirty-three per cent of the collisions in this province can be prevented by by finding that safe ride and choosing not to get behind the wheel if you’re impaired,” he said.

On The Evan Bray Show on Tuesday, SGI’s Kwei Quaye said there have been about 660 impaired driving collisions per year over the last five years in the province.

Quaye says those result in roughly 364 injuries and about 32 deaths per year.

“Those numbers are still too high for us. It’s come down over the years but is still at a very high level,” he said.

Quaye also urged people to call a sober friend or family member for a ride if they’re out of the house or to consider staying the night at a friend’s house until the following morning.

“Driving impaired is just not an option, because driving impaired could result in injury or death to yourself or somebody else,” he said.

“Impaired driving is not good for anyone at all.”

What’s open and closed in Saskatoon over the holidays

City Hall: Closed Dec. 25, Dec 26, and Jan. 1.

Remai Modern: Closed Dec. 25, Dec 26, and Jan. 1.

Saskatoon Public Library: All locations will close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 24. Closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, open Dec. 26 and Jan. 2.

Saskatoon Transit: Holiday service hours Dec. 25, Dec. 26 and Jan. 1 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Route 1225 (Jingle Bell Express): Free service on Dec. 26 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Saskatoon Transit and Access Transit: Free service on all routes on Dec. 31 from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.

OnDemand: Closed Dec. 25, Dec. 26 and Jan. 1.

Access Transit: Holiday service hours on Dec. 25, Dec. 26 and Jan. 1 from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Trips must be booked in advance.

Transit Customer Service Centre: Closed Dec. 25, Dec. 26 and Jan. 1. but phone lines (306-975-3100) will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Pay Parking: Payment will not be required on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Payment is required on Dec and Dec. 31.

Municipal Impound Lot: Closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Open Dec. 26.

Waste Collections: Garbage, Recycling, and Organics collections that fall on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 will be rescheduled for the following Saturday. All other collections as scheduled.

Material Recovery Centre and Landfill: Closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.  Live Christmas trees can be dropped off at Sort & Go from Dec. 26 to Jan. 31 for free from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Compost Depot: Closed for the season.

Woodlawn Cemetery: Closed Dec. 25. Cemetery grounds are open to the public from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo: Closed Dec. 25. Open Dec. 26 and Jan. 1. Zoo hours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Forestry Farm Park hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Cosmo Civic Centre:  Dec. 24 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Dec. 25, Dec. 26 and Jan. 1.

Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre: Closed for facility upgrade.

Lakewood Civic Centre: Dec. 24 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Dec. 25. Dec. 26 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Jan. 1 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Lawson Civic Centre: Dec. 24 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Dec. 25. Dec. 26 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 1 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saskatoon Field House: Dec. 24 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Dec. 25. Dec. 26 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 1 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Shaw Centre: Dec. 24 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Dec. 25. Dec. 26 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.Jan. 1 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Terry Fox Track: Dec. 24 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.

Indoor Rinks:  Bonus public skating times are being offered from Dec. 21 to January 5.

ACT Public Skating: Cancelled Dec. 24, Dec. 26 and Dec. 31.

Cosmo Public Skating: Cancelled Dec. 25, Dec. 26 and Jan. 1.

Archibald Parent and Tot Skate: Cancelled Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.

— with files from Daniel Reech

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