As summer is now in full swing, the Nova Scotia RCMP is reminding all motorists to refrain from getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or drugs.

 

Impaired driving continues to be one of the leading causes of serious and fatal motor vehicle collisions on Nova Scotia roadways. In July 2015 alone, the RCMP charged 93 motorists for being impaired by alcohol and 10 for being impaired by drugs. Fifty-five administrative suspensions were also issued, and three serious injury collisions were determined to have involved alcohol consumption.

 

“Summer is a great time of year to relax and reconnect with family and friends, however it can also be a time of year when people are tempted to drive after they’ve consumed alcohol,” says Nova Scotia RCMP Traffic Services Cst. Mark Skinner. “As always, if you plan to drink then plan ahead to find a safe way home, whether that’s through a designated driver, taxi, or public transportation.”

 

Cst. Skinner adds, “alcohol can stay in a person’s system hours after they stop drinking so even if you’ve stopped drinking and only had a few hours of sleep, you could still be legally impaired.”

 

The Nova Scotia RCMP reminds everyone that impaired driving is not just limited to the road. Consuming alcohol or drugs while operating a boat is also against the law, and the penalties for impaired boating are the same as on land and can result in a Canada-wide driving prohibition.

 

The Nova Scotia RCMP wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable summer.  If you happen to witness instances of dangerous or impaired driving, call 9-1-1 and provide police with as many details about the vehicle (i.e., make, model, direction of travel, etc.) and driver as possible.

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Source: Media Release