Stepping Up for Safety

Police across Nova Scotia will be stepping up enforcement activities for this last long weekend of summer, with a view to keeping drunk drivers off our roads.

The RCMP's Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, or S.T.E.P., stopped 3,300 drivers in 43 locations around the province on Aug. 16 and 17. Known as Operation Impaired Drivers, the campaign is designed to bring greater education and enforcement to the streets. Seventeen people were charged with either impaired driving or refusal to submit to a breathalyser test.

"The fact that 17 people were charged with alcohol-related offences is offensive," said Justice Minister Michael Baker. "We share the roads; we're all responsible for using them safely."

S.T.E.P. is part of a national initiative of the RCMP which targets selected areas and safety issues from seatbelts to speeding. Operation Impaired Drivers was led by the provincial Road Safety Advisory Committee.

"I remind everyone that police intend to be very visible and very vigilant in targeting drunk drivers," said Mr. Baker. "The check points you'll be seeing are designed to keep you safe and remind you to stay sober when you're behind the wheel."