Holiday checkstops show impaired driving still an issue in Manitoba: RCMP

The first weekend of the RCMP’s annual Holiday Checkstop program resulted in 21 impaired driving charges.

RCMP launched the program on Friday, Dec. 1 and said Manitobans are still choosing to drive under the influence despite increased chances of being pulled over by police.

“It’s only week one of our Checkstop and we’re already seeing high numbers of intoxicated drivers behind the wheel,” Insp. Ed Moreland said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: <span style="color:black;">"It's only week one of our Checkstop and we're already seeing high numbers of intoxicated drivers behind the wheel," Insp. Ed Moreland said.</span>

“We need Manitobans to plan ahead for a safe ride home to avoid serious, and even fatal, consequences.” 

Moreland assured officers will be out in ‘full force’ over the holidays to stop and arrest any driver that chooses to drive while under the influence.

46 people in the province lost their lives because of impaired driving last year, according to RCMP. Three of those took place during the 2016 holiday season.

READ MORE: Winnipeg police charge 12 at Check Stops

RCMP said there have been 76 deaths and 166 injuries already this year, 30 per cent of which are related to impaired driving.

“In the past decade, there has not been a single year when someone has not died on our roads during the holiday,” Moreland said. “One more death is too many.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: <span style="color:black;">"In the past decade, there has not been a single year when someone has not died on our roads during the holiday," Moreland said. "One more death is too many."</span>

The Holiday Checkstop program runs until Jan. 1, 2018.

With files from Kelsey James