The month of October saw SGI, along with law enforcement throughout the province, shine the traffic safety spotlight on impaired driving. Across all of Saskatchewan, police reported 497 impaired driving offences.
Of the 497 offences, 201 resulted in Criminal Code charges. There were another 296 drivers who received administrative penalties, as they weren’t charged criminally for impaired driving, but they exceeded the provincial limits.
In a written release from the Crown insurance company, it was detailed that the number of administrative suspensions has gone up so far in 2023. This is attributed to more effective enforcement. The release also stated there has been an increase in the number of people caught driving with drugs in their system, which coincides with increased police access to roadside testing devices that can determine if a driver has had cannabis or other drugs.
Other tickets issued by police in Saskatchewan for the month of October include 763 tickets for distracted driving, 4,338 tickets for speeding or aggressive driving offences, and 281 tickets for seatbelt and restraint offences.
At the beginning of this month, SGI announced a new awareness campaign for impaired driving, reminding people there are plenty of options to have a safe way home.