April saw 486 drivers suspended or charged for impaired driving: SGI

Hundreds of drivers in Saskatchewan are facing penalties after picking up licence suspensions or criminal charges for impaired driving last month.

According to SGI, police across the province handed out 316 suspensions for drivers exceeding provincial limits for alcohol or drugs, while another 170 drivers were criminally charged for impaired driving.

Of the 316 suspensions, 126 were for alcohol while 190 were for drugs.

“The roadside swabs fail drivers who exceed 25 ng/ml of THC in their oral fluid,” SGI explained in a statement.

But with the number of provincial suspensions rising steadily, some have questioned whether the presence of THC on a roadside oral swab test indicates actual impairment. Other cannabis users have stopped driving altogether to avoid the risk of a suspension or charge.

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Of the provincial suspensions in April, 113 were issued to new drivers (those under 22 or those with novice or learner licence restrictions).

According to SGI, only about nine per cent of those on Saskatchewan roads are new drivers, but they accounted for more than a third of the suspensions issued in April – 113 in total.

The April Spotlight highlighted the fact that new drivers typically receive a disproportionate amount of provincial administrative driving suspensions related to alcohol and drugs,” SGI said in a statement.

“If you’re a new driver, exceeding the provincial limits will set you up for the stone-cold reality of losing your driver’s licence for at least 60 days, and having your vehicle impounded for 72 hours.”

In April, police also handed out 4,203 tickets for speeding or aggressive driving, 380 tickets for seatbelt or car seat violations, and 573 tickets for distracted driving – of which 465 involved using a mobile phone.