Saskatchewan drivers won't just be handing over their licence and registration as the RCMP will begin conducting Mandatory Alcohol Screenings.

Beginning April 1, breathalyzer tests will become mandatory during all lawful traffic stops in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdictions without the need for reasonable suspicion.

The RCMP says drivers will not be pulled over for the sole purpose of completing a MAS – the MAS will only be requested once a driver is pulled over for other various traffic violations.

“The certainty of a Mandatory Alcohol Screening is to help discourage those consuming alcohol from getting behind the wheel,” shares Superintendent Grant St. Germaine, the Officer in Charge of Saskatchewan RCMP Traffic Services, “It goes without saying that someone’s ability to mask their impairment should not be the determining factor if someone gets home safely to their family each night.”

In 2023, Saskatchewan RCMP charged more than 1700 individuals with impaired driving and more than one-third of all fatal collisions involved alcohol.

The Mandatory Alcohol Screening will be done with an approved screening device called the Alco-Sensor FST, taking an average of 90 seconds.

If a driver is over the alcohol legal limit it can result in the following, but is not limited to:

  • Criminal Code conviction for impaired driving
  • Impounded vehicle
  • Suspended drivers licence
  • Initial $2,250 penalty
  • An immediate drop to -20 demerit points on your licence.

If a driver indicates they will not provide a breath sample or if they fail to provide a suitable breath sample it is classified as a “failure to, or refusal to comply with demand”, which may result in a Criminal Code conviction, suspended drivers licence, impounded vehicle, a drop to -20 demerit points, and financial penalties.