With the calendar flipping just mere hours ago, law enforcement in Saskatchewan will have a new traffic focus this month.

SGI's traffic safety spotlight for police officers across the province in May shines a light on impaired drivers, with the crown corporation reporting on average 300-400 such offences monthly.

Tyler McMurchy, manager of media relations with SGI, said the fifth month of the year seems like an opportune time to focus on the leading cause of fatalities on roads in Saskatchewan.

"May makes sense as a time to talk about impaired driving for a number of reasons," he said. "It's starting to be that nice weather out, we want people to think about the fact that they might be getting together for some socially distanced drinks on a patio, somebody's backyard, or their driveway. If you're going to be doing that, you need to make a plan for a safe ride home in addition to all the other plans to stay safe and socially distanced."

According to preliminary stats from SGI, there were 32 fatalities and 371 individuals injured as a result of collisions involving impaired driving last year.

"2020 was still lower than average if you look at the longer-term over the previous decade," he said. "However, I don't want to minimize any single death or injury. There are no acceptable impaired driving fatalities and there are no acceptable impaired driving injuries, so our goal for both of those is zero and if they're higher than zero, they're higher than we'd like."

There will also be increased focus on prescription drugs in May as some could impair a driver's judgement.

"People have to understand even if they have a prescription for something, that doesn't mean it can't impair your ability to drive or put you in a position where you could face an impaired driving charge," he said. "You want to talk to your health care professionals about how the medication will impact your motor skills and your motor vehicle skills as well."

Anyone convicted of impaired driving could face jail time or a criminal record, licence suspension, vehicle impoundment, and financial penalties by court-order or safe driving recognition penalties.