Saskatchewan police handed out 414 impaired driving offences in the month of December, according to a media release from SGI.

240 people were charged with an impaired driving offence under the Criminal Code and another 174 were issued sanctions – including licence suspensions and vehicle impoundments — for exceeding provincial limits for alcohol (.04 BAC for experienced drivers, .00 BAC for new drivers) or drugs (zero tolerance for all drivers).

All impaired driving offences come with Safe Driver Recognition penalties and requirements to attend impaired driver education courses. The penalties are more severe upon conviction, and they can also result in suspensions, stiff fines and potential incarceration, depending on the severity of the offence and the driver’s record.

While hundreds of people were caught driving impaired during the holiday season, SGI noted that thousands of people made good decisions and chose not to drive after drinking or doing drugs. The holidays may be over, but finding a safe ride is something that drivers should do year-round.

“Kudos to everyone who got a ride home from a taxi, a bus, a rideshare, a designated driving service, Operation Red Nose, or a sober friend or family member,” said the release. “Impaired driving offences come with a wide range of penalties that can wreck your budget, but an impaired driving collision can destroy so much more than that.”

In the month of December, Saskatchewan police also handed out 254 tickets for seatbelt and occupant restraint offences, 2,931 tickets for speeding and aggressive driving offences, and 491 tickets issued for distracted driving – 411 for using a cellphone while driving and 80 for driving without due care and attention.