Saanich Police officers took 628 impaired drivers off roadways in 2024. That works out to more than a dozen every week.
The new statistics marks the highest number since the Immediate Roadside Prohibition program, or IRP, began in British Columbia in 2010.
Last year's number tops the previous record in 2023, when 468 impaired drivers were curbed.
In the last 12 months:
110 drivers lost their licence for 24-hrs related to alcohol;
43 lost their licence for 24-hrs related to drugs;
178 lost their licence for 3 days;
11 lost their licence for a week;
Two drivers for 30 days;
• 278 lost their licence for 90-days (103 more than in 2023)
All drivers subject to an IRP had their vehicles impounded for 3 to 30 days.
The 90-day FAIL/Refuse IRP category saw the largest increase over 2023.
These drivers either failed a roadside screening device or refused to provide a breath sample, resulting in a 90-days licence suspension and a 30-day vehicle impoundment.
Of the impaired drivers stopped, 37 (13% of the yearly total) held a class 7 licence.
18 were subject to driving prohibitions, 10 were currently subject to the interlock program, and 21 had completed the interlock program.