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June is “Impaired Driving Awareness Month,” as good a time as any for the Sault police to remind locals not to get behind the wheel if they’re drunk or high.
“While rates of impaired driving have decreased in recent years, it is still a significant risk to public safety,” says Traffic Sergeant Ray Magnan, in a press release issued this morning. “As the weather is getting warmer and folks are going to camp, prom, graduations, patios, and other social gatherings, we want to remind the community about the dangers of driving impaired.”
The release notes that over the past five years, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service has charged more than 300 drivers with operation while impaired.
And it’s not just people in cars and trucks. Impaired driving laws also apply to those operating boats, snowmobiles and off-road vehicles.
Here are some other facts the Sault Police Service wants you to remember.
Impaired driving means operating a vehicle while your ability to do so has been compromised to any degree by consuming:
- alcohol
- drugs including:
- cannabis
- over-the-counter drugs
- prescription medication
- illegal substances
- a combination of the above
If police determine you have drugs or alcohol in your system and/or you are impaired by any substance, you can face severe consequences and potential criminal charges.
If police determine you are driving while impaired, you can face:
- immediate licence suspensions
- fines and reinstatement fees
- enrollment into education or treatment programs
- vehicle impoundment
- harsher penalties upon conviction
Penalties can vary depending on your age, licence type, the amount of alcohol or drugs in your system, and how many times you have been convicted or had your licence suspended.
The best way to avoid impaired driving is to not take a chance. Plan another way home:
- have a designated driver
- use public transit
- call a friend or family member for a ride
- call a taxi or ride share
- stay overnight