Here's what you need to know about going through a check stop this holiday season
As the holiday party season begins, the Saskatchewan RCMP and Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) are keeping a close eye on impaired driving.
RCMP say there are more traffic check stops scheduled than average in the coming weeks.
“We have approximately 25 to 30 check stops planned throughout the whole province during the month of December,” Cpl. Marsha Shaw said.
When planned check stops are in place, Cpl. Shaw said officers are trying to get through as many vehicles as possible for screening.
“People are coming back from holiday celebrations and parties and maybe have had one or more cocktails than they usually have. That’s all we want to do is talk to the driver, perform a breath test and just make sure everyone is sober,” she said.
If someone comes across a check stop, Shaw said all they have to do is roll down their window, have their license and registration ready, and comply with a breath test if asked.
Under federal law passed in 2018, it is mandatory for drivers to cooperate with a breath test if asked by a police officer.
“A lot of people don’t know that,” Shaw said.
“It takes ten seconds of your time and that’s it. If they’re sober, they’re on their way.”
With more officers patrolling for impaired driving, SGI is reminding drivers of some alternatives to keep everyone safe if they are consuming alcohol or marijuana.
Those include calling a sober friend for a ride, choosing a designated driver, taking a cab or rideshare or staying put for the night.
“The number of charges that we’ve seen [in December] over the past few years is, I’d say, average or below average of what you see throughout the year,” Tyler McMurchy, a spokesperson with SGI, said.
“I think people are cognizant of the fact that enforcement is very strong. They do have holiday plans, but they also make those plans for safe rides home.”
SGI said party hosts should ensure their guests are getting home safe or should offer them a place to stay if intoxicated.
If a driver is caught behind the wheel while impaired, there are a number of penalties they could face.
There is a zero tolerance policy for drug impairment. If a roadside saliva test detects any marijuana, SGI said the penalty starts with a three day vehicle impoundment and a three day license suspension for an experienced driver. Penalties are higher for new drivers and repeat offenders.
There are criminal charges if a drug test detects consumption over a certain level.
With alcohol, the legal limit is .04 for experienced drivers. Anything exceeding that could result in a brief vehicle impoundment, license suspension, impaired driving education and Safe Driver Recognition penalties.
If a driver exceeds .08 on a test, there are criminal charges which comes with longer term license suspensions and impoundments, fines and potential jail time.
“And if you don’t get caught and cause a collision, you’re looking at human costs of injuries, death or extensive property damage for which you have no insurance,” McMurchy said.
“If you plan a safe ride, or help someone get home safe, it’s a win-win all around.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.