MADD backs immediate roadside penalties as Sask. fatal impaired crashes rise

“I understand the devastation that a family goes through with impaired driving,” she said.

“There’s just no reason to get behind the wheel anymore.”

Stevenson said potential amendments to the The Traffic Safety Act for administrative penalties is a change MADD has been pushing for.

If implemented, these would result in stronger and more immediate repercussions after failed roadside breath tests, in an effort to hold impaired drivers to account and remove them from Saskatchewan roads.

Any new administrative consequences would take effect immediately and include the suspension of a driver’s licence, impoundment of a vehicle, and a requirement to install an ignition interlock.

“It stops that person, their fines are immediate (and) they lose their vehicle that day,” Stevenson said of the proposed penalties.

“There’s no going to court and fighting it. It’s an immediate charge, and I think that can make a difference.”

Stevenson said she believes there is a misunderstanding about administrative penalties. She said while officers have the option to issue an administrative penalty instead of laying a Criminal Code charge, the Criminal Code is also available.

According to the province, impaired driving offences resulting in death, injury, property damage or involving passengers under the age of 16 will still result in Criminal Code charges.

Stevenson reminds residents of the importance of planning their way home, whether it’s a taxi, Uber or a friend.

“Call your mom and dad. I can guarantee they’ll be much happier to come and get you, no matter what the time of day is, than they will be to have an officer standing at their door telling them their son or daughter’s deceased,” Stevenson said.

“I’ve had that news delivered to me and it’s devastating.”

While the Saskatchewan RCMP do not have a full breakdown yet of 2026 numbers when it comes to details on impaired driving impacting fatal collisions, the RCMP shared that nearly half of fatal collisions so far this year are being investigated as having alcohol and/or drugs as a contributing factor.

“This is a significant increase from what we usually see at around 30 per cent,” the RCMP said in an email.

Saskatchewan RCMP said that as of Aug. 4, there had been 54 fatal collisions with 67 deaths on roadways policed by Mounties in 2026.

– with files from 650 CKOM’s Libby Gray

by Mia Holowaychuk - CKOM News

MADD backs immediate roadside penalties as Sask. fatal impaired crashes rise

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