Winnipeg holiday checkstop numbers released for 2024 [Video]

Nearly 4,000 vehicles were stopped by Winnipeg police over the last four weeks as part of its holiday checkstop program.

“The big difference this year is we introduced a mandatory alcohol screening, which basically means that every one of those almost 4,000 people that we stopped, we tested for alcohol,” Sgt. Stephane Fontaine told CTV News in an interview. “The mandatory alcohol screening authority allows us to ensure that everyone that we came across were safe to drive.”

According to the latest numbers, a total of 124 drivers were found to be under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

Police said four drivers were found unconscious behind the wheel.

Eighteen people were criminally charged with impaired driving, with one-third of those charges laid in the last week.

The highest blood alcohol concentration detected was more than three times the legal limit.

A dozen people failed drug screening tests. Police said …