Half of Sask. impaired drivers blew twice the legal limit, police say

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Nearly half of those charged with impaired driving in the first two months of 2023 had two times the legal limit of alcohol in their blood, according to new numbers released by RCMP

"I wish we didn't have to continue to warn the public about the dangers of impaired driving. We know it's dangerous. We know its tragic consequences are 100 per cent preventable," Supt. Grant St. Germaine said in a Saskatchewan RCMP news release. "But we continue to find impaired drivers on Saskatchewan's roads."

In January and February, 138 drivers were arrested after breath samples showed they were over the legal limit. Sixty-six of those had samples that were twice the limit while 12 drivers had at least three times the amount permitted, RCMP said.

Two drivers charged were found to be at more than four times the legal limit.

"We're releasing these numbers to show you that people are continuing to get behind the wheel when it should be clear they shouldn't be," Supt. Gt. Germaine said in the release.

"Everyone needs to take responsibility and ensure that they, and those around them, are not driving when they are impaired by alcohol or drugs."

RCMP said drivers consuming alcohol or cannabis should appoint a designated driver or make an alternative transportation plan.

Anyone who sees a suspected impaired driver has been asked to call 911 immediately. Some signs to watch for, according to RCMP, are lane drifting, driving too fast or slow, improper signalling, making wide turns, or driving without headlights.