During the month of August, Nova Scotia RCMP continue to focus their enforcement and education efforts on impaired driving.

For the first six months of 2015, Nova Scotia RCMP officers charged 478 motorists for impaired driving, with 47 of those charges being Impaired by Drug.

In 2014, officers charged 1023 motorists for being Impaired by Alcohol and 84 for being Impaired by Drug.

‘Impaired driving is never acceptable, and our officers continue to patrol Nova Scotia roadways to ensure that the public is safe’ says Nova Scotia RCMP Cst. Mark Skinner. ‘Luckily, we’re off to a positive start this month, as there have not been any impaired driving crashes involving serious injury or death so far.’

Illicit drugs and many prescription medications can also cause impairment, and in some cases, small amounts of alcohol combined with these drugs can create a much higher level of impairment than alcohol or drugs alone. At the end of the day, however, any type of impaired driving creates a dangerous situation that can and does have tragic consequences.

The RCMP reminds Nova Scotians that consuming alcohol or drugs while operating any motorized vehicle (including a boat or all-terrain vehicle) is considered impaired driving, and the fines and penalties are the same as operating a road vehicle while impaired.

For more information on impaired driving, including both Impaired by Alcohol and Impaired by Drug charges, please visit the following link: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ts-sr/aldr-id-cfa-aldr-eng.htm.

Source: Release