Sask. police nabbed nearly 500 impaired drivers in October: SGI

Police officers across Saskatchewan nabbed 497 impaired drivers in October.

SGI said Wednesday that officers charged 201 drivers under the Criminal Code and issued 296 administrative suspensions during the October Traffic Safety Spotlight.

The Crown insurance company said a suspension means the driver wasn’t charged, but they face administrative penalties for exceeding legal limits.

“Due to more effective enforcement, the number of administrative suspensions has risen sharply this year,” SGI said in a release. “There has been a notable increase in the number of people caught driving with drugs in their system, coinciding with increased police access to roadside oral fluid testing devices that can determine whether a driver has consumed cannabis and other drugs.”

READ MORE:

• New SGI campaign focuses on preventing impaired driving
• Police caught 476 impaired drivers in May: SGI
• SGI warns prescriptions, hard drugs both cause impaired driving

SGI reminded drivers that Saskatchewan has a zero tolerance for drug-impaired driving, meaning any level of impairing drugs in a driver’s system that can be detected by a federally approved screening device will lead to penalties.

“Alcohol, cannabis, various street drugs and numerous medications can impair your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle,” SGI’s release said.

“People who make the decision to drive after using drugs put themselves at risk and are subject to the same penalties as driving under the influence of alcohol. That includes licence suspensions, vehicle impoundments, financial penalties and a mandatory impaired driving education program.”

Police officers in October also handed out 4,338 tickets for speeding or aggressive driving offences, 763 tickets for distracted driving (including 640 to drivers who were on their cellphones while behind the wheel) and 281 tickets for seatbelt and car seat offences.