SGI’s November Traffic Safety focus of the month is on suspended drivers and uninsured vehicles.

SGI’s Tyler McMurchy says the consequences can be steep. “Potential consequences for driving while suspended include immediate vehicle impoundments, court summons for charges either under the Traffic Safety Act or Criminal Code and those carry with them potential fines and or jail time.”

McMurchy says police and other enforcement agencies have new tools to catch suspects, including Automated License Plate Readers. “They can scan up to one license plate per minute and they can tell the officer whether that license plate is expired or whether the registered owner has a suspension.”

He says at there is one important thing to keep in mind if you are thinking about driving while suspended or uninsured. “If you are driving without a valid license or if your are driving an uninsured vehicle, meaning those plates are not valid, you are driving without insurance. If you cause a collision, you will be responsible for all the costs.”

SGI figures that at any given time, and for a variety of reasons, there are 55,000 suspended drivers in the province.

(CJGX)