‘Tis the season for Christmas parties, family gatherings and Yuletide cheer, but Airdrie RCMP are warning residents that if they drink and drive this holiday season, they will be caught.
Provincial RCMP and Sheriff Integrated Traffic Units will be stepping up efforts to combat impaired driving throughout the province.
“When motorists follow safe driving practices, they reduce the risk of death and injury to themselves and others,” said Airdrie RCMP Cpl. Darren Turnbull.
“Reducing the number of impaired driving incidents is one of the RCMP’s top priorities.”
Reducing impaired driving on Alberta’s highways will save lives, prevent injuries and lower insurance costs, added Turnbull.
In a national survey conducted by Transport Canada, it was determined that three per cent of drivers on the road between late night and early morning hours, Thursday through Sunday, were impaired. These offenders account for 33 per cent of traffic fatalities among drivers every year.
“There are too many irresponsible drivers who think they can drink alcohol and still drive safely, despite the fact that from 2003 to 2007, on average, each year over 115 people were killed and nearly 1,920 injured in collisions involving at least one driver who had consumed alcohol prior to the crash,” said Turnbull.
“We will continue to target and arrest those people who put innocent members of the community at risk by driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
• On average, about 7,700 people are convicted of impaired driving in Alberta each year.
• On average, about 8,300 24-hour driving disqualifications are issued each year under section 89(1) of the Traffic Safety Act when police suspect a driver’s physical or mental ability had been affected by alcohol, drugs or other substances.
• According to statistics, men between 18 and 24 years of age are most likely to have been drinking before the crash.
• Male drivers are much more likely to have consumed alcohol prior to a collision compared to female drivers.
• On average in Alberta, one in five drivers involved in fatal collisions have been drinking prior to the collision. This compares to an average of about one in 20 drivers involved in injury collisions.
• The most casualty collisions involving alcohol occur on the weekends.
