Saanich police say they’ve stopped more impaired drivers so far this year than in all of last year.
The 483 drivers pulled off the road so far this year tops the 468 stopped in all of 2023.
Close to one-third of the 2024 total so far came in July and August, with 144 drivers caught at roadblocks or other traffic stops.
“It’s concerning that drivers continue to get behind the wheel of a vehicle impaired and endanger not only their lives, but the lives of everyone else in our community,” said Saanich Police Chief Dean Duthie.
“To would-be impaired drivers: there is no excuse for driving impaired, and when you are caught, you will face the consequences.”
Of the impaired drivers nabbed in July and August, almost half — 65 — lost their licences for 90 days, up from 35 in the same period in 2023.
Another 40 lost their licences for three days, 27 lost their licences for 24 hours, one lost their licence for seven days, and one for 30 days.
Ninety-four people had their vehicles impounded.
Eight of the 19 driver stopped so far in September lost their licences for 90 days.
The length of time a licence is revoked and impoundment are tied to such factors as the level of impairment and the number of times a driver has been found to have committed an offence in a five-year period.
Police said the number of drivers caught this year — especially those in July and August — is a direct result of the department’s “proactive response” to impaired driving.
During July and August, police say, six drivers were caught for drug impairment, seven had learner’s or novice licences with zero tolerance for alcohol consumption, and seven were impaired despite requiring ignition-interlock devices due to alcohol-related prohibitions.
