With Black Friday behind us, the Christmas season is in full swing.
The holidays are the perfect time to eat, drink and be merry. It’s a season that sees an increase in social drinking and with it, an increase in impaired driving.
Most people recognize the risks associated with impaired driving. You could get seriously injured or killed. You could end up causing the deaths of others, especially if there are others in the vehicle. Even if you don’t cause an accident, if you are caught you could have your license suspended, or lose your license.
But not everyone is getting that message. Just last weekend, St. Albert RCMP held a check stop and a 32-year-old woman was charged with impaired driving. Another woman – a 26-year-old – faces a 30-day suspension of her graduated drivers license for having consumed alcohol. Earlier this month, a 49-year-old St. Albert man was charged with impaired driving after he crossed the centre line and struck a pickup truck at a red light.
“We hope the message is getting through to those at greatest risk, don't become a statistic,” said Const. Yelena Avoine from St. Albert RCMP. “If you’re planning to drink, then arrange for a designated driver beforehand, call a taxi or a sober friend, or take transit. When you drink and drive, you not only risk your life but those of others on the road. With so many options to get home safely, there is no excuse to drive while impaired.”
A recent poll by Mainstreet Research found that nearly one in five Albertans would consider driving under the influence of alcohol, with one in 11 admitting they have driven under the influence in the last five years.
There’s no reason for this. Between taxis, drive-home services, ride-sharing companies and transit, there are more options to get home than ever before. Stay the night with a friend if you need to, just don’t put lives at risk.
“It is also important to be mindful when hosting gatherings, especially during this holiday season that your guests have a safe ride home,” Cst. Beth McIntosh of St. Albert RCMP said in a statement.
A study of 19 wealthy countries by the U.S. Center for Disease Control that was released this summer, found Canada to have the highest percentage of roadway deaths linked to alcohol impairment at 34 per cent.
More than one-third of roadway deaths may have been prevented if someone had found a safe way home. Drunk drivers aren’t just putting their own lives at risk, but they are making our roads more dangerous for everyone. Impaired driving is a selfish act, one that often causes unnecessary and inexcusable hardship for families.
If you are planning on having some drinks, you should make a plan to get home. If you know someone else is considering drinking and driving, take their keys away. If you suspect someone is driving impaired, call 911. There’s a role for everyone to play in keeping our roads and our citizens safe.
The holiday season should be joyous, don’t risk a tragedy. Make the right decision and don’t drink and drive.
