Police Focus On Impaired Driving For Second Month

Submitted by SGI

It’s hard to imagine a worse place to throw a party than jail.

There’s no music, no party favours and no chips or punch.  Just concrete walls, a cot and some other people who’d rather be anywhere else.

For the January Traffic Safety Spotlight, SGI and law enforcement are keeping the focus on impaired driving for a second straight month, with a simple message: “Plan a safe ride so you don’t spend any part of New Year’s Eve (or any other day) in jail because of an impaired driving charge.”

Of course, the potential consequences of impaired driving go far beyond a possible arrest and Criminal Code charge.  If the prospect of a terrible party in the local jail isn’t enough of a deterrent, remember that choosing to #DriveSober will help ensure you don’t cause a collision that injures or kills you or someone you care about.

Police across Saskatchewan will be out in force on New Year’s Eve to keep our roads safe and ensure party-goers (or party-leavers) aren’t getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. But impaired driving isn’t just a problem on one night a year, or only during the holiday season. Police across Saskatchewan routinely report between 200-400 impaired driving offences each month, the majority of which are Criminal Code offences.

“Whether it’s New Year’s Eve, or a random Thursday next September, don’t ever get behind the wheel if you’ve been drinking or using drugs.” said Penny McCune, COO of the Auto Fund. “There’s always a better option than driving impaired, and it’s best to make a plan beforehand.”

Some of those options include:

  • arranging to have a designated driver for your group (or volunteering to be one);

  • taking a cab, a rideshare, or a designated driving service that brings you and your vehicle home;  

  • using public transit - you can “Wing In the New Year” and ride the bus for free on New Year’s Eve in Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw and Prince Albert;

  • staying the night.

Use the free, recently updated SGI Safe ride app to keep track of all the ways you can #PlanASafeRide for yourself and #BeAGoodWingman by making sure impaired family and friends don’t drive.

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