THUNDER BAY - Thunder Bay police officers have seen an increasing number of impaired drivers on Thunder Bay streets in recent months.
Sgt. Mark Cattani with the Thunder Bay Police Service’s Traffic Unit said Friday, Sept. 4, impaired driving trends have seen dramatic increases in this year alone.
“We have seen the numbers rising for the last five years and not just by small increments by large significant amounts,” Cattani said, adding approximately 160 impaired driving charges have been laid in 2020 so far.
In response to the growing concern surrounding impaired driving, the police service recently launched a webpage that will track impaired driving charges laid in the community on a weekly basis, according to a police media release.
“We want to bring people’s attention to the fact that it is not only while they are sleeping after the bar closes on a weekend downtown, but impaired driving is also happening all over the city and at all hours,” Cattani said.
Police say they are also seeing an increase in impaired driving cases in residential areas of the city.
“It’s not just downtown where you are facing that risk it can be in your own neighbourhood,” he said.
Cattani said the purpose of the campaign is to educate all drivers to remain alert when driving.
“You can’t control what other people are doing but you can control what you are doing as a driver,” he said. “If people know there is the risk of impaired driving at all hours at all locations then we just want them to take an extra moment to look after themselves and drive appropriately.”
As to why police are seeing the increase in impaired driving cases, police say there could be several factors including COVID-19 and the high drug consumption rate in the city.
Police also say they are seeing more drug-impaired cases and a decrease in alcohol cases.
“Drug-impaired driving makes up such a large portion,” Cattani said, adding the primary drugs police see are fentanyl, cocaine and occasionally cannabis.
Police say drivers being charged with impaired driving offences have ranged in age from 15 to 70.
For more information visit the Thunder Bay Police Service website by going here.
