National Impaired Driving Enforcement Day is a nationwide RCMP initiative taking place this Saturday Dec. 7, during National Safe Driving Week, which runs from Dec. 1 to 7.
The RCMP is committed to tackling impaired driving. If you see someone you know attempting to drive home under the influence, reach out and stop them. Here are some tips to help:
- Call a taxi/rideshare service.
- If available and sober, be their designated driver.
- Offer your sofa for the night.
- Take their keys away if necessary. Return the keys only if it is safe to do so.
- Call 911 if they refuse to cooperate. It is safer for everyone to remove the risk.
This winter, unsafe weather conditions, poor visibility and fatigue can make it tougher to get home. Practice these preventative measures to keep your drive safe:
- Be an early bird. Give yourself extra time for your commute. You won't have to speed and can avoid major collisions by taking alternate routes.
- Leave some room. Always maintain a safe (5 second) distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.
- Be seen. Keep your lights and signals in good working order to be visible to other road users.
"In 2018 and 2019, there were over 3,700 impaired operation incidents cleared by charge from Jan. 1 to Oct. 31. Unfortunately, impaired driving is still an ongoing issue on our roadways and remains a major contributing factor in fatal and serious injuries in Alberta," says Supt. Gary Graham, Alberta RCMP Traffic Services. "We will continue collaborating with road users, community members and traffic safety partners to keep each other safe; do the right thing and don't drive impaired."
"You should never drive impaired or get into a car with an impaired driver. There's no excuse," says Supt. Rick Gardner, Alberta Sheriffs. "Wherever you live, the biggest risk is not about getting caught, it is about the possibility that you may hurt someone, or yourself, on the way home."
The Alberta RCMP will continue to work with Alberta Sheriffs and other law enforcement and safety partners to ensure Albertans make the right driving decisions. Follow our traffic safety tips on Facebook @RCMPinAlberta and Twitter @RCMPAlberta.