Regina, SK (June 21, 2017) – Last month, SGI released its hard-hitting, emotional awareness campaign targeting impaired driving, and the results of May’s traffic safety spotlight are another reminder of why such campaigns are needed.
May’s traffic safety spotlight focused on impaired driving. During the month, police reported 324 impaired-driving related offences, including:
- 280 Criminal Code charges such as blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeding .08, impaired driving or refusing a breath test.
- 44 roadside suspensions (includes new drivers with a BAC ranging from .00 to .08 and experienced drivers with a BAC ranging from .04 to .08).
SGI reminds drivers that impaired driving remains the leading cause of traffic fatalities on Saskatchewan roads. It’s 100 per cent preventable and – with the tougher new legislation introduced in Saskatchewan at the beginning of the year – 100 per cent not worth the risk.
That new legislation includes a three-day vehicle seizure for experienced drivers with a BAC over .04, zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol for drivers 21 and under, and the strongest ignition interlock laws in all of Canada. If drugs and alcohol consumption increase with summer temperatures, remember to always plan a safe ride home after patio drinks, a day at the lake and other summer activities. Remember, if you drink, don’t drive and if you drive, don’t drink.
The other notable result coming out of the May traffic safety spotlight was a significant uptick in speeding and aggressive driving offences (6,159) reported by police. That is the highest number of speeding tickets reported via a traffic safety spotlight since October 2015.
The other noteable results from the May spotlight included 364 distracted driving offences (251 of those for cellphone use) and 469 seatbelt, car seat or booster seat violations throughout the month.(1)
#PracticeUp Saskatchewan – police continue to focus on new driver safety for the month of June. Results from that traffic safety spotlight will be available in the third week of July.
People Shouldn’t Disappear
SGI’s latest impaired driving awareness campaign may look familiar. That’s because it’s the latest edition of our 2016 campaign, showing the void left behind when a loved one is killed by an impaired driver. There’s one main difference: the campaign doesn’t use stock photographs like last time; it uses photos of real Saskatchewan people killed by impaired drivers.
Click here to watch the video, listen to the radio ad, or for more information on this hard-hitting, emotional awareness campaign.
1. Includes all traffic safety focus results for May submitted by police as of June 16, 2017.
About SGI CANADA
Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) is the province’s self-sustaining auto insurance fund. SGI operates 21 claims centres and five salvage centres across Saskatchewan with a head office in Regina. SGI also works with a network of nearly 400 motor licence issuers across the province. Customers can now do some transactions online. For more information, visit www.sgicanada.ca.
