The number of impaired driving charges stemming from the August long weekend dropped 40 per cent over the last year. RCMP in Alberta have laid 77 charges connected to offences between July 31st and August 3rd, down from 128 in the same time last year.
However, they handed out more three-day roadside suspensions to drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05Â to 0.08 per cent, with no priors and no criminal charges. There were 89 over the long weekend versus 54 in 2014.
Corporal Hal Turnbull reminds drivers to plan ahead and use a designated driver, stay overnight, take the bus or call a cab if you know you’ll be drinking.