With an average of four people killed due to impaired driving each day in Canada, it's disturbing to read statistics reported by the Alberta RCMP of driving infractions in just nine days over the Christmas holidays.

Between Dec. 24, 2023 and Jan. 1, 2024, 189 impaired drivers were removed from the roads and a total of 2,459 traffic tickets were issued.

Sgt. Darrin Turnbull, of Alberta RCMP Traffic says a lot of motorists were behaving dangerously on Alberta roads this holiday season.

"The numbers are way too high," says Sgt. Turnbull. "There were way too many tickets we had to issue and way too many impaired drivers."

Overall, 1,050 individuals were ticketed for speeding, including one for a motorist who was caught travelling 204 km/h in a 110 km/h zone.

"Two hundred and four kilometres an hour in a 100 zone is way too fast," says Turnbull. "People are not at all considering the safety of themselves, their fellow Albertans and other motorists on the road. They're just risking everything at that speed."

A total of 15 drivers were ticketed for excessive speeding (51 km/h over the posted limit).

Forty motorists were caught distracted driving, and 1,354 motorists received tickets for traffic safety violations, including careless driving, driving with a prohibited or suspended license, and moving offences.

There was no breakdown available at this point for driving offences in the Cochrane area.

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