Five fewer people in Manitoba have been charged with Impaired Driving offences by RCMP this year during their annual holiday checkstops.

RCMP report more than 3480 vehicles were checked across the province during 97 checkstops.

From Dec. 16 to 22, 2019, 18 people were charged with an Impaired Driving offence under the Criminal Code as a result of the RCMP 2019 Holiday Checkstop Program.

RCMP says 16 of those charged were due to alcohol and two were charged for refusal to participate in the checkstop.

The highest blood/alcohol level reported was 0.280 and there were four alcohol or drug-related tiered administrative roadside suspensions.

In its first week, RCMP laid charges against 26 people for Impaired Driving. Another 15 were charged in the second week of the program.

Last year, RCMP conducted 68 checkstops in the third week of the program. Around 4,000 vehicles were checked and 23 individuals were charged with Impaired Driving.