Encouraging Traffic Safety Spotlight results show more of us are getting the message
Regina, SK (Jan. 18, 2018) — Last month, Saskatchewan residents heard a twist on the holiday classic “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” reimagined as a cautionary tale of one fictional couple who were pulled over for impaired driving.
Results from December 2017’s Traffic Safety Spotlight show that Saskatchewan drivers were better behaved this holiday season, with fewer people on the “naughty list” for impaired driving related offences than in the previous three years1 , even with increased enforcement. Police across the province reported 238 impaired-driving related offences, including:
- 205 Criminal Code charges such as blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeding .08, impaired driving or refusing a breath test.
- 33 roadside suspensions (experienced drivers with a BAC ranging from .04 to .08).
Keep your resolution to #DriveSober, Saskatchewan! While everyone tends to behave when Santa is watching, SGI reminds drivers that police are watching for impaired drivers throughout January, and throughout the year. Impaired driving remains the leading cause of traffic fatalities on Saskatchewan roads, and it’s 100 per cent preventable.
Other results from the December spotlight included2:
- 526 distracted driving offences (443 of those for cellphone use)
- 216 offences related to seatbelts or car seats
- 3,969 speeding/aggressive driving offences
Notes
1. There were 353 impaired driving offences reported for the December 2016 Traffic Safety Spotlight. December 2015: 308. December 2014: 381.
2. Includes all traffic safety focus results for December 2017 submitted by police as of January 15, 2018.
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.
Source: SGI CANADA
Tags: driving safety, SGI
