The 2016-17 RCMP Checkstop Program ended earlier this month. The program conducted in the Red River Valley from Emerson to Morris and  Morris to Vita was said to be pretty quiet this year with only one impaired driver reported for the region.

"We had one vehicle stopped for a traffic violation in the community of St Jean," said Emerson RCMP Corporal Paul Managire.  "The RCMP member felt that the driver and vehicle were suspicious and after searching the vehicle retrieved over 100 grams of marijuana."

The 2016 Checkstop Program began on December 1st with RCMP looking for more than just impaired drivers. The RCMP are looking for any indication of dangerous driving, including cell phone use, people not wearing seat belts, and any activity that could cause a danger to those on the road.

Seventeen people were charged in the province with drunk driving in the third week of the RCMP's Holiday Checkstop program, including one case where the driver was caught going 135 km/h in a 60 km/h zone.

"For this region we conducted a more targeted patrol, I don't like members sitting at an intersection waiting for motorists to come," said Managire.

RCMP officers struggled to get out on the highways throughout this year's checkstop program with so many days of storms and closed highways.

"We did however hand out a few tickets to those that choose to go around the highway barricades," noted Managire.

A myth in the past has led people to believe your insurance will not cover you on a closed highway. which is untrue. However, it is the RCMP's duty to decide when the highway should close and they are willing and able to give out tickets to people that decide to drive on highways when they have said it is unsafe to do so. An average ticket for driving on a closed highway is $203.

"I do not know if there is just not enough information out there, but people need to understand that when the highway is closed there is a high chance that if you are injured or in an accident we will not allow emergency services personal to put their life on the line for someone that decided to break the rules of the road," explained Managire.

When it comes to distracted or impaired driving 2016 was a record year for fatalities on the road ways with 112 people losing there life on Manitoba roads.