National Impaired Driving Night…

PRINCE GEORGE, BC: On May 22, 2021, the Prince George RCMP’s Municipal Traffic Services Unit was out as part of an ongoing campaign to take impaired drivers off the roads. Four traffic members were out on Saturday night speaking with drivers and checking for a variety of driving offences, in addition to checking for sober drivers.

Sgt. Kyle Ushock, commander of the Municipal Traffic Services Unit, states members checked approximately 1000 vehicles at three different check-stop locations throughout the evening. Here are some of the reasons police removed vehicles from the road that night:

• 3 x 90 Day Immediate Roadside Prohibitions
• 2 x Excessive speed impoundments
• 1 x 24 hour suspension for alcohol
• 4 x Drivers without a driver’s license
• 3 x Vehicles without insurance
• 1 x Unlicensed prohibited driver

Members also issued tickets for the following Motor Vehicle Act violations:

• 4 x Drive contrary to restrictions
• 1 x Drive without due care
• 2 x Speeding
• 1 x Fail to produce insurance
• 2 x Fail to display “L”
• 1 x Fail to state name to police
• 1 x Fail to provide Driver’s License upon request

Crashes involving alcohol and or/drugs are a leading criminal cause of death in Canada. It is important to know that even one drink of alcohol can reduce your reaction time, blur or double your vision, impair your reflexes and alter your attention span. Cannabis or other drugs can affect your ability to drive safely. Cannabis impairs both the cognitive and motor abilities you use to operate a vehicle safely. Researchers estimate that driving within three hours of consuming cannabis doubles your risk of having a crash.

May is High Risk Driving Awareness month in B.C.

Written and released by Prince George RCMP