Since the launch of RoadWatch 2015 in May, nearly 13,000 vehicles have been screened in roadside police checks, according to Manitoba Public Insurance. As a result of those roadside checks, 27 impaired drivers have been removed from Manitoba roadways.
In its first five weeks of operation, Manitoba’s nine police agencies participating in RoadWatch 2015 have conducted 27 roadside check stop campaigns. In addition to removing impaired drivers from the roads, nearly 400 offence notices for Highway Traffic Act violations have been issued including offences for speeding, cell phone use and non-use of seatbelts.
“Manitobans have told us these high-visibility roadside checks contribute to road safety by sending a very clear warning that drivers who make the choice to drive impaired or commit other high-risk driving offences risk being apprehended by police,” said Ward Keith, acting Vice President, Business Development & Communications and Chief Product Officer, Manitoba Public Insurance.
Now in its 17th year, RoadWatch is a Manitoba Public Insurance sponsored program aimed specifically at drivers who make the choice to drive after consuming alcohol or drugs. This year, Manitoba’s public auto insurer has partnered with nine police agencies (Winnipeg, RCMP, Brandon, Morden, Winkler, Altona, Dakota, Rivers and Ste. Anne) to conduct additional impaired driving roadside checks through the summer months and until the end of November.
“Manitoba Public Insurance is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to eliminate alcohol and drug-related deaths and injuries,” said Keith. “While fatalities and serious injuries related to impaired driving have been steadily declining over the past 10 years, we still lose far too many Manitobans in impaired driving crashes every single year.”
Who is driving impaired?
- Young males make up the majority of those involved in impaired collisions ─ male drivers are involved in three out of four impaired driving collisions. Police data reports that male drivers make up 77 per cent of total drivers charged with impaired driving compared to 23 per cent for females.
- Younger drivers (both male and female) are involved more often in impaired collisions. As driver age increases, the instances of impaired driving collisions decrease for both sexes but more rapidly for females.
- About one in three Manitoba road fatalities involve an impaired driver.