UPDATE 12:45 p.m.

RCMP Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey says Kelowna's high ranking in new drunk driving stats speaks to ongoing, proactive efforts by police to get impaired drivers off the road.

"We take impaired driving very seriously," said O'Donaghey.

"We will continue to work with our strong enforcement initiatives, which target impaired drivers throughout the entire calendar year.

"Of course, it's disturbing that people continue to make these conscious choices to drive after consuming intoxicating substances. Our hope is the information released by Stats Canada will prevent someone from making that, sometimes tragic decision, to pick up their keys and drive."

ORIGINAL: 7:45 a.m.

Kelowna does not have a good record when it comes to drunk driving.

Statistics Canada finds the city is the second worst in Canada for the rate of police-reported impaired driving incidents.

Kelowna had a rate of 323 incidents per 100,000 people, second only to St. John's, N.L., which had a rate of 411. Victoria is also near the top at No. 4 with a rate of 271. Vancouver is in the middle of the pack with 164.

The study took into account 35 census metropolitan areas in 2015.

Overall, the trend around drinking and driving is good news.

"The impaired driving rate steadily decreased from 1986 – when comparable data were first collected – until the early 2000s. It then remained relatively stable until 2011, and has since declined," says Statistics Canada.

The number of drug-driving incidents, on the other hand, is getting higher.

"Among the police-reported impaired driving incidents in 2015, nearly 3,000 involved drug-impaired driving, including seven incidents causing death and 19 causing bodily harm."

The rate has been rising since 2009, the year after the introduction of drug recognition experts.

The study also found:

The majority of those who have driven after drinking have done so more than once

Impaired driving rates are lower in metropolitan areas

Almost half of all impaired driving incidents occur between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m.

Majority of impaired drivers are male, but the proportion who are female is rising

Individuals who play team sports are more likely to drink and drive