Posted:
(3:05 p.m.)
In March, citizens and HRM Partners in Policing joined forces to continue the fight against drinking and driving.
Throughout the month, police charged 38 people - 31 men and 7 women, ranging in age from 21 to 77 - with impaired driving. Of these incidents, 16 were identified by police during their patrols, 7 were identified after a collision had occurred and 15, or 39%, were called-in by concerned citizens. Officers issued an additional 17 seven-day suspensions to people having a blood alcohol level between 50-80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood (mg%).
Of the 38 cases, 36 involved drivers impaired by alcohol while two involved impairment by drugs. Fourteen of the cases involved high blood alcohol readings including ten with readings that were more than twice the legal limit, three that exceed the legal limit by more than three times and one case where the reading was more than four times the legal limit.
Driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs puts everyone in danger. In December 2009, MADD Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia launched Campaign 911 which encourages people to call police with information on suspected impaired drivers. HRM Partners in Policing continue to be encouraged by the number of citizens helping to play a role in community safety. If you have information on a drunk driver, please call 911.