No charges, just two ‘Alerts’ during Canada Day RIDE stop in St. Catharines

Drivers in St. Catharines kept their wits about them and drinks to a minimum during a RIDE spot-check that saw nearly 1,700 motorists pulled over on Canada Day.

In total, Niagara Police stopped some 1,697 vehicles, asking 28 drivers to take the breathalzyer. In the end, just two drivers gave samples that resulted in an “Alert.”

An “Alert” translates to Blood Alcohol Concentration level between .05 percent and .08 per cent, the latter being the legal limit.

An “Alert” means a three-day license suspension for first-time offenders accompanied by a $150 penalty. A license suspension of seven days if the second offence is within five years of the first.

The police added that several provincial offence notices were also issued related to traffic offences throughout the evening.

This initiative has been made possible, in part, as a result of grant funding from the Ministry of the Solicitor General as part of the Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (R.I.D.E) program.