(Cam Lee/northeastNOW)

By Cam Lee

Impaired driving

Mandatory alcohol screening legal: Melfort RCMP

Apr 3, 2024 | 5:00 PM

As Saskatchewan RCMP prepare to give every driver they pull over a mandatory breath-a-lyzer test, the Melfort detachment said that officers have been able to do that since 2018.

The new provincial policy started on April 1 as the RCMP attempt to reduce high numbers of impaired driving in the province.

Melfort RCMP Detachment Commander Ryan Case told northeastNOW that officers have had that legal ability for several years.

“It gave the police the ability to test people for blood alcohol levels while they’re driving, even if we didn’t have reasonable suspicion,” Case explained. “We don’t need any type of grounds or reasons to test somebody, other than the fact that they were driving a motor vehicle on the road in Canada.”

The Criminal Code has allowed police to demand a breath sample without any reasonable suspicion that a driver is impaired since 2018.

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Case said police have always had the ability to test people roadside and screen for alcohol consumption for driving, but there had to be reasonable suspicion. That changed a few years ago.

Case said motorists must abide by the police request to provide a breath sample. Should someone refuse to co-operate with a request, they would likely face a charge of refusing to comply with a demand for a breath sample.

Traditionally, Saskatchewan has had higher impaired driving rates than the national average. According to Statistics Canada, Saskatchewan had 539 impaired driving incidents per 100,000 population in 2019, well over double the national rate of 228. Case said impaired driving remains a huge problem in the province.

The simplest answer to the question ‘how much can a person drink and still be safely under the legal blood alcohol limit’ is zero, said Case. Factors such as body composition, weight, age, and sex play a factor in how a body handles alcohol.

“Alcohol affects absolutely every single person differently – it just comes down to biology,” Case said. “Like we’ve been saying for many years now…always plan ahead.”

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @northeastNOW_SK