SUDBURY -- Greater Sudbury Police are sounding the alarm after four drivers in the city were charged with drugged driving over the weekend.

In a news release Monday, police said the incidents took place within 12 hours of each other. In one case, they said a suspect and their passenger were found asleep in the vehicle.

In the first incident last Friday afternoon, police received a call about a vehicle parked in the area of Ste. Anne Road where both the driver and passenger appeared to be unconscious.

"The caller made multiple attempts to wake the driver by knocking on the window," police said. "When the driver woke up, he appeared to be impaired. While the caller was on the phone with our 911 emergency communication centre, the driver drove off in the vehicle."

As police headed to the scene, they received more 911 calls about the same vehicle.

Driven erratically down the Kingsway

"The vehicle was being driven erratically down the Kingsway, travelling in the centre lane and swerving into traffic," the release said. "One of the callers followed the vehicle onto Falconbridge Road, providing updates on its location to our 911 communicator."

The vehicle was stopped in Lasalle Boulevard and the 31-year-old driver was arrested for impaired driving. They will be in court May 19 in Sudbury.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, three more drivers were arrested and charged with impaired by drug. Ages 33, 40 and 43, the three men will also appear in court on May 19.

All of the drivers received a 90-day licence suspension and had their vehicles impounded for seven days.

"We continue to see an increase in the number of drivers impaired by drugs on our roads," police said. "Alcohol or drugs, impaired is impaired. Impaired driving means operating a vehicle (including cars, trucks, boats, snowmobiles and off-road vehicles) while your ability to do so has been compromised to any degree by consuming alcohol, drugs or a combination of the two."

Police urge residents to plan ahead for a safe ride home rather than risk your safety and the safety of others.

"If ever you consider driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, stop and take a moment to think about the victims who have lost their lives to impaired driving and their loved ones," police said.

"Impaired driving hurts us all – through deaths, injuries and property damage, as well as costs for health care and emergency response services."