20 charged with driving over twice legal limit in March: HRP

Halifax Regional Police is continuing to grapple with high rates of impaired driving.

The latest numbers from March show that 54 drivers were charged with impaired-related offences last month. That number is up from 43 in February and 45 in January.

Of the 54 drivers, police say 42 were charged with drinking and driving, and two were charged with drug impairment. A further 10 were issued suspensions for operation of a conveyance while having consumed alcohol.

Nine of the drivers refused to provide a breath sample and were charged with the offence of refusal.

Of those who did provide a sample, police say there was a wide range of blood alcohol concentrations. Twenty drivers were operating vehicles while being at least twice the legal limit. That number is up from seven in February.

Police are thanking the public who have reported suspicions of impaired driving. They say 32 calls helped them take dangerous drivers off the road.

After the first three, Halifax is on track for another year headlined by impaired driving charges. In 2024,  1,398 drivers charged with impaired-related offences across the province of Nova Scotia.