N.W.T., Yukon have highest impaired driving rates

The Northwest Territories and Yukon have the highest rates of drinking and driving in the country, according to a new report from Statistics Canada.

The report says the territorys impaired driving rate is more than five times the national average. The rate in the territory also increased by more than 50 per cent between 2001 and 2011.

"Some of the largest increases over the past decade were recorded in the Northwest Territories and British Columbia, as well as some of the other provinces," said Warren Silver, an analyst with Statistics Canada.

Silver said impaired driving ratestend to be higher in the territories: Yukon takes the second-place spot, with an impaired driving rate more than three times the national average, and Nunavut has the fourth highest in the country, at double the national average.

Nationally, young adults between 20 and 24 years old made up the largest group of people charged with impaired driving. Most of all people charged82 per centwere men.

However, Silver said that seems to be changing.

"Over the past five years we have seen something new, which is that weve seen an increase in mostly among females, while the impaired driving rate for males has decreased. So although it still continues to be mostly male, we are seeing more and more females being charged with impaired driving."