聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Saskatchewan has earned the dubious distinction of聽 having the highest rate of聽 impaired driving in the country, according to Statistics Canada. It's a persistent provincial problem- but Carlyle RCMP Staff Sgt. Darren Simons says drinking and driving is a preventable tragedy- and one which has far-reaching consequences beyond an impaired driver and their victims.
听听听听听听听听听听听 In this province, an average of 60 people are killed and nearly 850 are injured in alcohol-related collisions every year.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淭ragedy happens when you drink and drive,鈥� says Simons, who has over 25 years service with the RCMP. 鈥淏ut the actions of an impaired driver who causes death or injury affect more than those two parties.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淲hen there are fatalities and injuries, the adverse effects are obvious,鈥� adds Simons. 鈥淏ut in addition to those directly involved in an accident caused by an impaired driver, the families of the victims and the impaired driver, as well as their friends and members of their communities are all affected. We don't often think of it, but emergency responders as well as the health care system, the legal system and even insurance companies are all affected as well. It goes on and on.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淏ut as far as the direct human cost, the friends of those who are involved in an accident where the driver is impaired are sometimes the same people who could have prevented such a tragedy,鈥� he says. 鈥淏y not confronting the driver and taking their keys or not calling police because they don't want to be accused of being a rat...Well, let's just say I'd rather feel bad about doing something to stop an impaired driver than not doing anything at all- especially when incidents of impaired driving often end in tragedy.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Simons says that in the new year, the province of Saskatchewan is increasing its enforcement efforts regarding drinking and driving.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淥n January 1st, the law changes,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he change in the law will mean that a 72-hour licence suspension will not only mean that an impaired driver will lose their licence for that period, they'll lose their vehicle, too.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淗aving your vehicle impounded for 72 hours is a hassle- both time and money-wise. The driver will have to pay the towing bill and聽 the storage fee and SGI will increase the cost of their聽 insurance.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淭hose administrative changes to the law and the existing Criminal Code will hopefully help to keep impaired drivers off the roads.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Simons says that attitudes towards impaired driving have changed since he became a Mountie nearly 26 years ago.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淭wenty-five years ago, there were as many- if not more- impaired drivers on the roads. In rural areas of Saskatchewan, it's still as bad, but that's not because people lack awareness. It's probably because any reduction in impaired driving over time is offset by our increased population.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Even if awareness has increased, Simons says impaired driving is still a big problem for the province and says that even if laws are toughened- 鈥渨hich they were in Saskatchewan in 2014鈥�- prevention is still the superior strategy when it comes to averting unneccessary tragedy on Saskatchewan roads.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚f you see someone whom you suspect is impaired, take their keys, offer them a ride and call the police, if necessary,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f you see a suspected impaired driver on the road, pull over safely to the side of the road and call 911 to report them through the Report Impaired Drivers (RID) program.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淎 real misconception people have is how quickly they can become impaired,鈥� says the veteran Mountie. 鈥淚 instruct the breath-test courses, where RCMP members learn to use the equipment. Even in a controlled environment like that, people think they're okay and they're not.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚n real life, a lot of people think they're just at the edge. They've had a drink or two and they think they're not impaired, but they could be. It doesn't matter how well you walk. And it's not just a drinking at night thing, either.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚t's an everyday thing- and often, we find someone who thinks they're not impaired if they get three or four hours sleep before they drive to work. That's not the case. A few hours' sleep does not make someone sober.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淲e all know what we should and shouldn't do,鈥� says Simons. 鈥淎lways have a designated driver. If you're not sure if your driver is impaired, don't get in their vehicle and make sure they don't get in their vehicle, either. If you're in doubt about your sobriety, don't take the chance.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淧lan a safe ride home and remember, impairment begins with the first drink. We want everyone to get home safely-during the Christmas season- and all year round.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听
听听听听听听听听听听听
听听听听听听听听听听听 聽
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽聽
