REGINA -- Regina residents might start to notice signs around the city that read “Impaired Driver Caught Here” to point out where impaired drivers have been apprehended by police.
The signs are meant to encourage the public the report anyone they suspect of driving under the influence.
The initiative is a partnership between the Regina Police Service, SGI and MADD Regina.
“A lot of people do not know they can call 911 to report a suspected impaired driver,” Heather Tatham, the director of MADD Regina, said in a press release. “These new signs show the public first-hand that their calls make a difference.”
Tatham said she hopes the signs will not only encourage people to report impaired drivers, but will also deter people from drinking and driving.
While the signs are new, SGI’s Report Impaired Drivers (RID) program is not. The program, now in its 10th year, has seen nearly 2,900 impaired driving charges laid. It’s also resulted in almost 600 roadside suspensions as a direct result of people calling 911 to alert police of suspected impaired drivers.
Regina Police Service Chief Evan Bray said impaired driving continues to be an issue in the community.
“In 2019, the Regina Police Service laid 348 impaired driving charges,” he said. “Many of those drivers were reported through the RID program.”
The mobile signs will move to new locations every two weeks as new impaired driving charges are laid.
