Mandatory screening at checkpoints

As summer brings a noticeable increase in traffic on Island highways, the PEI RCMP are employing various tools to ensure road safety.

Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS) allows police to demand a breath sample from any driver who has been lawfully stopped, regardless of whether there is suspicion of recent alcohol consumption. This procedure is only carried out after a lawful stop under common or provincial law. For example, law enforcement officers can randomly stop drivers under provincial highway traffic acts to check licence validity, vehicle fitness, and sobriety.

Police officers routinely conduct numerous roadside checkpoints throughout the year, and the upcoming weekend's CBMF concert will be no exception. Every year, too many Canadians are killed and injured from this preventable crime. While some motorists may be unfamiliar with this type of screening; it is a proven public safety measure that deters and better detects alcohol-impaired drivers.

"Make sure a designated driver is part of your plans this summer. As festivals and events draw closer we want everyone to have a great time and also include a sober driver in their plans. At all of our check stops, we can use mandatory alcohol screening, which is just one of the tools we use to keep Island roads safe for everyone;" said Corporal Gavin Moore, Media Relations Officer for the PEI RCMP.