35 impaired driving incidents in 2nd week of Winnipeg holiday checkstop program, police say

Posted on December 18, 2024 by Peggy

Winnipeg police are sounding the alarm following the second week of their holiday checkstop program.

Officers reported 35 impaired driving incidents, including one against a driver who had a five-year-old child in the back seat, police said Wednesday on social media.

Police say it isn’t just a safety concern but “a call to action.”

The second week of the program, which runs throughout December, saw 1,018 vehicles stopped by police, with 3.43 per cent of drivers stopped being impaired, police said.

Officers laid six impaired driving charges and issued 29 immediate roadside prohibitions. They also gave 37 traffic offence notices, executed one warrant and had one motorist test positive for cocaine, police said.

During the program’s first week, police stopped 1,219 vehicles and reported 21 roadside warnings or breathalyzer failures, issued 12 traffic offence notices and laid two charges for impaired driving.

Motorists can expect to see a heightened enforcement of impaired driving legislation for the final two weeks of December, police said.