Murray Wood: Who's scary... and who's scary good?
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week, in a specia...
Hopefully Saskatchewan’s tougher impaired driving law is saving lives, because it’s evidently killing businesses.
Regina is losing three bar/restaurants and the owner of another says his revenue has fallen 30 per cent since Saskatchewan dropped its legal blood-alcohol limit from .08 to .04. SGI is suing Saskatoon bars for over-serving customers. Bars are now making arrangements to get customers home safely while police enforce the country’s strictest law in a province with the most drunk drivers per capita.
The tougher law has certainly scared social drinkers, the responsible consumers who don’t want to exceed .04.
But scanning news reports of accidents involving impaired drivers, the numbers show blood-alcohol contents of .19 and .22.
Those people need help: the addicted and problem drinkers who aren’t well-enough served in Saskatchewan by too-few rehabilitation centres. Rehabilitation is more effective than punishment.
Improving safety on Saskatchewan’s roads is a good idea. Saving lives and businesses would be the best idea.
