YELLOWKNIFE - Both statistics and police on the street report that stricter drunk-driving legislation passed in 2004 is making people think twice before hitting the road after a beer or two.

The legislation, which passed in December 2004, lowered the legal blood alcohol limit and upped police powers to issue licence suspensions.

Const. J.P. Turcotte of the Yellowknife detachment stands with the BAC Datamaster -- the RCMP's breathalyzer machine. According to Sgt. Ken Cooper, nine out of 10 people agree to having their blood alcohol tested as they face refusal charges if not.

It also brought in zero tolerance for youth drivers with a minimum 30-day suspension for youth found driving with any amount of alcohol in their blood.

“I believe [the legislation] has made a difference,” said Const. Sheldon Robb of RCMP NWT Traffic Enforcement. “Especially with the young persons.”

He said that the 30-day suspension is a good deterrent.

“It hits home to youth where it needs to do,” said Robb.

While it has made the biggest difference for youth drivers, it has had an effect on adults as well.

“I would say there has been a decrease overall,” said Sgt. Ken Cooper, of the Yellowknife RCMP.

Statistics Canada’s numbers back up police observations.

"In 2005 434 people were charged with impaired driving in the NWT – down from 664 in 2004.

It is nice to see the change, said the police officers, but there is still much work to be done.

“My personal opinion is that it should be zero,” said Cooper of the tolerated blood alcohol amount.

“When you drink, you’re not thinking straight -- you have a couple of drinks and think ‘oh, I’m okay to drive,’” he said.

Yellowknife has been lucky lately, he said. The city hasn’t had any drunk-driving deaths recently, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen.

Robb echoed the zero figure, but with another goal in mind.

“Until we get impaired drivings down to zero, it will always be a problem,” he said. “Somewhat of an unrealistic goal, but we want to keep focusing on it. There has been improvement and we’d like to see it continue but we want to get it down to where people aren’t drinking and driving whatsoever.”