By Shaun Penner

Impaired Driving

Grande Prairie man among 130 impaired drivers nabbed in Alberta during holiday season

Jan 7, 2021 | 11:20 AM

A Grande Prairie man has been listed among 130 drivers charged by the Alberta RCMP this holiday season for impaired driving.

Alberta RCMP say in a release that an impaired male in the Swan City was pulled over during one of many traffic safety enforcement initiatives undertaken across the province between December 24 and January 3.

They say the man was found to have a blood alcohol concentration of 260 mg, which is over three times the legal limit (80 mg, or 0.08).

“That’s scary,” said Sgt. Darrin Turnbull with the RCMP. “You’re a danger, so that person was preceded with criminal charges as well as the provincial sanctions.

According to Mounties, of the 130 impaired drivers, 16 were Criminal Code Impaired by Alcohol and four were Criminal Code Impaired by Drugs.

“That’s really an unacceptable number of people to be on on the road drinking and driving or being under the influence of some drug. That’s 130 people who are risking their own lives and the lives of their passengers and lives of the other motorists. One is too many, but 130 is really disheartening.”

City of Grande Prairie Protective and Social Services Director Chris Manuel told a city standing committee on Tuesday morning that in the month of December, six people were charged by the Grande Prairie RCMP for impaired driving while two were given warnings.

Manuel said the statistics were a decline from previous years, but said it is likely due to public health restrictions leading to less impaired drivers on the roads.

Other notable impaired drivers listed by the Alberta RCMP include:

• In St. Albert, an impaired male was found passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle while in traffic. The individual was arrested and had a blood alcohol concentration of 240 mg.
• Near Cochrane, an impaired female crashed into a snow plow and had a blood alcohol concentration of 220 mg.
• Two commercial drivers, while working, were arrested and charged with impaired driving.
• Three impaired drivers were found to have children in their vehicles ranging in age from two to five-years-old.

Police say a total of 2,374 traffic tickets during that time across Alberta. Aside from the 130 impaired drivers charged, 872 individuals were ticketed for speeding while another 55 were caught distracted driving.

“Another 1,333 motorists received tickets for traffic safety violations including careless driving, driving with a prohibited or suspended license, moving offences, and more.”

Alberta RCMP say those ticketing totals from that period of time are 26 per cent below the same time last year.