Impaired driving convictions in P.E.I. up slightly in 2016

The number of impaired driving convictions on P.E.I. ticked up slightly in 2016, but is still near historic lows.

There were 249 impaired driving convictions last year, ten more than in 2015. That ended four consecutive years of decreases.

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The province's numbers have fluctuated from year to year but show a general downward trend:

• The last time there more than 500 convictions was 1997.
• The last time there more than 400 convictions was 2010.
• The last time there more than 300 convictions was2012.

Repeat offenders are also less common, with 66.2 per cent of those convictions a first offence. The only year with a higher percentage since 1989was 2015, at 67 per cent.

'Discouraging to see'

In raw numbers, there were 47 people convicted for the second time last year and 37 who were convicted for the third time or more.

"It is discouraging to see that so many people return to impaired driving, even after facing the consequences of being convicted," Transportation Minister Paula Biggar said in a release.

"These repeat impaired drivers are stubbornly returning to behaviour that endangers everyone on our roads including themselves. My department and I will continue to work to stop them."

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Total of 1,341 collisions

The province also released road accident numbers for2016:In total, there were 1,341 collisions, 364 of which caused injuries.

Thirteen people died in road accidents last year.

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