Sask. police caught 454 impaired drivers in March: SGI

Saskatchewan police caught 454 impaired drivers around the province in March.

Of those, 142 are facing Criminal Code charges and the other 312 faced licence suspensions, according to a news release from Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI).

Throughout the month of March, Regina police were conducting mandatory breathalyzer tests for every traffic stop.

According to Regina police, mandatory alcohol screening caught nine drivers with a blood/alcohol level (BAC) about .08 BAC, six others tested had a level that exceeded .04 BAC.

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“Police say that mandatory alcohol screening catches impaired drivers who would have otherwise gone undetected,” the release said.

Saskatchewan RCMP also announced that they would be conducting mandatory alcohol tests for all traffic stops beginning April 1 on an ongoing basis.

“Under federal legislation passed in 2018, police have the legal authority to demand a quick roadside breath test of any driver they stop. Drivers who refuse to provide a roadside breath test face consequences equal to being caught driving impaired,” SGI said.

Police in Saskatchewan also handed out 548 tickets for distracted driving in March, 446 of those were for people using cellphones behind the wheel.

There was also more than 4,400 speeding and aggressive driving tickets given and 375 for seatbelt and car seat offences, SGI said.