Number of impaired drivers issues alarm bell for insurer

Saskatchewan Government Insurance statistics show a record this year in impaired driving offences. 

The province’s law enforcement stopped 497 impaired drivers, including 292 drivers who were charged with Criminal Code offences this July, according to SGI’s Traffic Safety Spotlight. 

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

Comparatively, SGI reported 319 Criminal Code impaired driving charges plus 163 suspensions in June. 

Distracted driving in other forms has been a concern for SGI this summer. Other statistics from SGI in July include: 5,411 speeding or aggressive driving offences; and 375 tickets for not wearing a seatbelt or having a child improperly restrained.

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Police also reported 581 offences in July (454 were for using a mobile device behind the wheel). Distracted driving still accounts for about one in five auto crash injuries in the province and is one of the leading causes of injury and death on Saskatchewan roads. 

Here’s how these impaired driving stats compare to other provinces and cities: 

In June, Nova Scotia RCMP charged 131 drivers with impaired related offences. 63 were charged with Impaired Operation of a Conveyance by Alcohol, eight were charged with Impaired Operation of a Conveyance by Drug, 9 were charged with Refusal of a Demand Made by a Peace Officer and 51 were issued driving suspensions for Operating a Conveyance While Having Consumed Alcohol. 

In July, the city of Ottawa saw 73 impaired drivers charged and 13 three-day licence suspensions for being in the warning range. Of the 73 impaired drivers, 11 refused to comply with a demand, 12 were charged with drug driving charges and 50 were charged with alcohol driving charges, according to a tweet by Ottawa police. 

Over the Victoria Day long weekend between May 20 and 23rd, Alberta RCMP removed a total 165 impaired drivers from the roads. A further 2,804 traffic safety violation tickets were issued, with 1,280 motorists being written up for exceeding the speed limit, 74 for distracted driving and another 66 for the improper use of vehicle safety restraints. 

Feature image by iStock.com/es2ufoto