Impaired driving still number one killer on Sask. roads

While the number of accidents involving alcohol is dropping in Saskatchewan, the number of fatal onesis on the rise.

AllanKerpanknows all too well the repercussions ofthat rising number.

On Oct. 10, 2014, Kerpan's world changed. At about 1:15 a.m. CST his phone rang at his home near Kenaston, Sask.

It was a police officer calling to informKerpan that his 25-year-olddaughter, Danille, had died in an accident on Highway 11.The accident involved a drunk driver.

In January, a Saskatoon man was sentenced to four years in prison for causingthe fatal crash.

• John Koch gets 4 year sentence in drunk-driving death of 25-year-old woman

Danille Kerpan is just one of the 59 people who died in crashes involving alcohol in 2014.

SGI has just released its lengthy annual report on traffic accidents in Saskatchewan.

The report showedthat the total number of accidents involving alcohol isthe lowest it has been in five years, but the number of fatal accidents involving alcohol hasnot followedthat trend.

In fact, 17 more peopledied in crashes involvingalcohol in 2014 than in 2013.

Tougher penaltiesbrought in

In June 2014, SGI brought in tougher consequences for impaired drivers.

Some of thechanges included longer license suspensions and vehicle seizures. It also brought inzerotolerance for alcohol when it comes to drivers under the age of 19.

• New rules for new drivers caught drinking and driving

The changes were made in response to recommendations made by a committee on traffic safety that looked specifically at deaths on Saskatchewanroads.

Back in 2013, Statistics Canada data showed Saskatchewan hadthe worst record for impaired driving ofall the provinces.

Whether those tougher consequences have had an impact won't be known until the next set of statistics come out in 2017.