National operation to prevent impaired driving ability

National operation to prevent impaired driving ability

Interventions by the Sureté du Québec will be intensified between November 29th and January 3rd, with a particular focus on impaired driving by alcohol or drugs. Among other things, road checkpoints will be set up randomly during this time to detect and arrest drivers whose driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or a combination of both.
Road traffic controllers of the Société de l ‘assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) is taking advantage of this period to hold an awareness campaign.

Driving impaired by alcohol or drugs remains one of the main causes of fatal collisions in Quebec. From 2012 to 2016, every year, alcohol-related crashes caused an average of:
• 110 deaths (30%)
• 260 seriously injured (15%)
• 1,800 light injuries (5%)

Still from 2012 to 2016, among drivers who died in a road collision in Quebec:
• 33% had licit or illicit drugs in the blood;
• 19% had cannabis in the blood;
• 35% of drivers aged 16 to 24 had cannabis in their blood.

For more information on this operation, we invite the public to consult the Sûreté du Québec’s Twitter feed and Facebook page, as well as those of the municipal police forces and the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec.