“Licence and registration, please”: hundred caught without either

Last month, police in Saskatchewan caught 341 people driving while suspended and issued 558 tickets for driving an unregistered vehicle or a trailer. Police also issued tickets for the following offences:

• 221 drivers driving without a valid licence

• 102 learner drivers driving without a supervising driver

• 37 drivers who weren’t complying with a licence endorsement or restriction

Police in Saskatchewan spent November focusing on suspended drivers and unregistered vehicles as part of SGI’s Traffic Safety Spotlight. Driving without a licence, while suspended or when your vehicle isn’t registered voids your insurance if you cause a collision. If you are caught, penalties include fines, court summons and vehicle impoundments.

Driving while suspended is a safety concern. There are many reasons why someone’s licence may be suspended but they are all a result of an authority determining that the driver is not allowed to operate a vehicle. Police also reported:

• 3,867 tickets issued for speeding and aggressive driving;

• 226 tickets for improper seatbelt or child restraint use;

• 447 distracted driving tickets (including 384 for using a cellphone while driving); and

• 357 impaired driving offences (including 294 Criminal Code charges) Police and SGI are focusing on impaired driving in December and are sharing our friends’ holiday wishes to Santa for a safe and sober holiday season. Follow SGI on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more traffic safety reminders.