Almost 500 impaired drivers stopped in July: SGI

SGI focused on impaired driving in July, and came to a simple conclusion:

“Too many people chose to drive while impaired,” the Crown insurance corporation said in a news release Wednesday.

According to SGI, police stopped 497 impaired drivers last month, leading to a total of 292 criminal charges. That’s just slightly higher than the 482 impaired drivers stopped by police in June.

“While not an all-time record high, this is the most impaired driving offences in a single month so far this year,” SGI noted.

Impaired driving comes with serious penalties in Saskatchewan, with a Criminal Code charge accompanied by an automatic licence suspension and 30-day vehicle impoundment.

While impaired driving was the focus in July, speeding and seatbelt violations were both common as well.

SGI reported 5,411 speeding or aggressive driving offences in July, as well as 375 tickets for seatbelt or child seat violations.

This month, SGI is turning its spotlight towards distracted driving. According to SGI, police reported 581 distracted driving offences last month, with most of them — 454 — for using a cellphone or mobile device behind the wheel.

SGI also reminded drivers to keep an eye out for slow-moving farm equipment on the roads, as harvest season is getting into full swing in Saskatchewan.