Police to crack down on impaired driving this December
By Contributor
Impaired driving enforcement is a national priority and BC RCMP Traffic Services and its partners support this priority by increasing enforcement efforts across the Province to stop impaired drivers this holiday season.
Sunday, Dec. 1 marks the start of the provincial, month-long CounterAttack impaired driving campaign which includes the National Impaired Driving Enforcement Day and a one-day provincial blitz (Friday, Dec. 6) when motorists can expect to see a heightened police presence in many areas of the province targeting impaired drivers. Traffic Services Units and Detachments throughout the province will be implementing their respective enforcement plans on various dates throughout the month. This will include coordinated efforts like Island District Traffic Services’ Light Up the Highway event with planned check-stops running the length of Vancouver Island on the same day.
According to provincial statistics, an average of 68 people die each year in collisions where alcohol, drugs or medication is involved (five-year average from 2013 to 2017), making impaired driving fatalities one of the leading causes of death on our provincial roadways. Impaired driving, defined as driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, is entirely preventable yet it continues to happen with devastating consequences. Police will be using every resource at their disposal to get impaired drivers off the road including the use of Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and specially trained Drug Recognition Experts. Police are also fully prepared to enforce the federal Cannabis Act and BC’s Cannabis Control and Licensing Act.
Poor decisions can have tragic consequences for you and others, says Superintendent Holly Turton, the Officer in Charge of BC RCMP Traffic Services. Please make alternate arrangements if you plan to consume anything that can impair your ability to drive. By finding alternative ways home such as public transit, taxi or a designated driver, you can ensure that you, and others sharing the road with you, get to their destination safely. If you do drive, please make it a habit to drive sober every time you get behind the wheel.
Motorists can expect to see numerous police road-checks throughout the province during the month of December and police ask everyone to drive safely and obey the direction of officers at all check-stops. BC RCMP Traffic Services wishes everyone a safe holiday season!
