Celebrating the holidays is different this year as there are no office parties and fewer are going to bars to have some Christmas cheer, but that doesn’t mean people are no longer getting behind the wheel when they shouldn’t.

Regina Police are still out and about performing random checkstops as they would any other year despite the fact things are quieter..

Sergeant Mark Verbeek with Regina Police says drinking and driving remains a problem.

“We haven’t really noticed a decrease from last year. In fact, we have seen an increase.” Verbeek said. ” With the time of year it is, the concern is that those numbers will trend up.”

Drivers can expect to be stopped to make sure they are not driving while impaired throughout the rest of the month with a special focus as usual on New Year’s Eve,  Verbeek says he doesn’t want to be the one stopping someone and ruining their Christmas by handing them a ticket for driving while impaired, but he would much rather do that than something else.

“I would sooner deal with someone who is grumpy with me because I have caught them driving while impaired than having to go to someone’s house and knock on the door to say a loved one has passed away.” Verbeek said.