The Saskatchewan RCMP have announced the implementation of roadside Mandatory Alcohol Screenings (MAS) on all lawful traffic stops in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction starting April 1.
MAS will be done with an approved screening device called the Alco-Sensor FST and takes an average of 90 seconds to complete.
RCMP in the province are conducting these screenings after last year’s high numbers of people charged with impaired driving. In 2023, Saskatchewan
Mounties charged roughly five people per day with impaired driving, adding up to around 1700 individuals that year.
“The certainty of a Mandatory Alcohol Screening is to help discourage those consuming alcohol from getting behind the wheel,” shares Superintendent Grant St. Germaine, the Officer in Charge of Saskatchewan RCMP Traffic Services, “It goes without saying that someone’s ability to mask their impairment should not be the determining factor if someone gets home safely to their family each night.”
If a driver is above the legal alcohol limit that can result in a Criminal Code conviction for impaired driving, an impounded vehicle, a suspended driver’s licence, an initial $2,250 penalty, and an immediate drop to -20 demerit points on your licence.
When a person refuses to give a breath sample or fails to provide a suitable sample it is classified as a “failure to, or refusal to comply with demand” – which may result in a Criminal Code conviction, suspended drivers licence, impounded vehicle, a drop to -20 demerit points, and financial penalties.
Drivers will not be pulled over for the sole purpose of completing a MAS – the MAS will only be requested once a driver is pulled over for other traffic violations. Saskatchewan RCMP will begin MAS on all lawful traffic stops beginning April first on an ongoing basis.