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New legislation proposes stiffer penalties for impaired drivers

Nov 2, 2017 | 3:54 PM

A bill presented Thursday in the Saskatchewan legislature targets people who drive under the influence with children in their vehicles.

The Traffic Safety Amendment Act would increase the roadside suspension for anyone found driving with a blood-alchohol level of .04 or higher while transporting a child under 16.

Currently, all impaired drivers face a three-day roadside licence suspension, coupled with the seizure of their vehicle.

The bill would increase those penalties to seven days for those found with kids on board while driving impaired.

The administrative penalties come on top of any jail sentence, fine or other penalty imposed by the criminal justice system.

The new bill would also come down harder on repeat offenders.

Those caught a second time for driving impaired with children in the vehicle would face 30-day licence suspensions and vehicle seizures, up from the current seven-day penalties.

Third offences would lead to 60-day driving bans and seizures, up from the current penalties of 14 days.

The new bill would also increase the time period SGI looks at for repeat offences to 10 years from five.

Along with changes to the penalties for impaired driving, the new bill also includes a provision to make the rules for passing highway equipment, including snow plows, the same as current rules for passing emergency vehicles and tow trucks.

Drivers would be required to slow to 60 km/h when equipment is parked on the side of the road with lights flashing.