P.E.I. impaired driving arrests continue to fall

RCMP in Prince Edward Island have looked at the numbers for 2014 and say arrests for impaired driving were down again last year, thanks to vigilant members of the public.

The numbers have been dropping for several years now. In 2011, 300 people were charged province-wide and the numbers have dropped every year since.

It's now at a low of 161 in 2014.

RCMP Sgt. Leanne Butler says enforcement and education are working.

"Absolutely, it is our number one priority on our highway safety initiatives, impaired driving, and it remains that," she said. "We would like to think that some of the media campaigns, the educational programs, has hit certain demographics, like the youth."

Charlottetown city police and provincial highway officials say they have noticed a similar trend.

The Department of Transportation says convictions for impaired driving have been declining for decades.

In 1980, there were more than 1,500 and last year, just 241.

Change in mindset

Minister Robert Vessey says it's a change in society.

"People's mindset is different than it was 35 years ago," he said. "We'll do whatever we can, through legislation changes or through law enforcement partners to try and reduce it even further than it is today."

RCMP credit organizations like Students Against Drunk Driving with fostering awareness.

The province sites tougher penalties, automatic license suspensions and new technology, including breathalyzer ignition locks for bringing the numbers down.

Charlottetown city police spokesman Richard Collins credits the public and thanks them for picking up the phone.

"A great percentage of our apprehension of offenders is a result of the public calling in on 9-1-1 or our non-emergency number," he said. "They're behind the vehicle.They're following it and they're giving us the plate number so we can find out where the person may reside, where they're heading so that's critical from an enforcement standpoint."

Police on the Island says their work continues as they continue to makes arrests, in all parts of the province, at all hours.