Submitted by RCMP
The STEP operation in the Battlefords concluded on April 12 and the results of the operation have been gathered.
Over a period of eight hours, many charges were laid under the Traffic Safety Act, Alcohol and Gaming Act, Criminal Code, Vehicle Equipment Regulations and Vehicle Weight and Dimensions Regulations.
Out of 28 inspections conducted on commercial vehicles, six charges were laid and 68 written warnings were issued. Half the vehicles inspected were removed from service and 36 per cent were given restricted service.
There were 188 charges laid under the Traffic Safety Act for offences such as speeding, failure to stop for stop sign and improper use of seatbelts, plus 30 charges laid for use of cell phone while driving.
A truck was caught travelling 156 km/h in 100 km/h zone on Highway 4 south of Battleford.
There were 85 charges laid under the vehicle equipment regulations. There were also 286 warnings given out for various other offences.
A total of 127 car seats were checked by SGI inspectors and 14 new car seats were given away. Five vehicles had to be towed and impounded during the two-day operation. One of the vehicles stopped for inspection had a four-year-old child not seated in a booster seat and had no seatbelt on at all. A second child was standing up on floor in front of the seat while vehicle parked at check stop. A third child (1-2 years of age) was sitting in a car seat, however the car seat itself was not fastened to the vehicle by seatbelt or child seat clips, rendering the car seat completely unsecured. The vehicle was also unregistered. Several charges were laid resulting in a large fine.
There were two charges laid under the Cannabis Act. One vehicle was checked for a damaged windshield and no mud flaps. The investigator smelled fresh cannabis in the vehicle and a Standard Field Sobriety Test was performed on the driver. The driver passed. The driver was detained and the vehicle searched. Approximately 30 grams of cannabis was discovered and seized. The vehicle had an eight-year-old passenger, therefore the driver was charged under the CCSA (Cannabis Control Saskatchewan Act 2-10(1) Possess, Consume or Distribute Cannabis in a Vehicle and received warnings for inadequate mud flaps and a damaged windshield.
