MADD says Saskatchewan needs to do a lot more to stop impaired driving

REGINA – The head of MADD Canada says it’s time to put the brakes on drunk driving in Saskatchewan, where impaired driving rates are the highest in the country.

Andrew Murie told reporters in Regina that Saskatchewan needs to do a lot more to stop impaired driving.

Murie says the province could take several steps, such as setting a zero tolerance policy for drivers under the age of 22 or impounding vehicles for longer.

The latest numbers show there were 8.44 drunk driving-related deaths per 100,000 people in Saskatchewan, compared to 2.03 in Ontario.

Highways Minister Don McMorris says the province has lowered the allowable legal limit and stepped up enforcement.

But McMorris admits more needs to be done and Saskatchewan is looking at what other provinces have done before changes are made.