A4

By MICHAEL STAPLES
staples.michael@dailygleaner.com

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Speak Up

Drinking and driving is a relatively simple issue if you get down to the core of the matter, says Fredericton police Chief Barry MacKnight.

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STEPHEN MACGILLIVRAY PHOTO

Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General John Foran took part in the launch of a new highway safety public awareness campaign on Thursday. Here taking part from left are: Jordan Kennedy, representing TADD; John Foran and Fredericton Police Chief Barry McKnight.

"We are talking about personal decisions that are made by people ... especially around this time of year," said MacKnight, who's also president of the New Brunswick Association of Chiefs of Police.

"If you are going to take a drink, you need to make the decision needed to make the right decision about whether or not you are going to get in the car and drive. I think that decision is relatively simple."

MacKnight's comments came at the launch Thursday of a public awareness campaign by the province designed to discourage drinking and driving.

The initiative is called "Be...safe and sound." It's being applied provincewide and will feature a series of television and radio ads, and other initiatives.

Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General John Foran described the campaign as a focused effort to change attitudes and behaviours about drinking and driving.

"Our message will be forceful and consistent - drinking and driving doesn't add up," Foran said at a news conference.

"We want to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our highways, and this campaign will help us to achieve that goal."

Two television ads will begin running immediately. One will target primarily the 26-45 age group, and the other is directed at a younger audience.

The theme of the ads is, "Drinking and driving doesn't add up."

Bill Adams of the Insurance Bureau of Canada said it's important to get road-safety messages out to New Brunswickers.

He said the latest data from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation reveals that in New Brunswick 57 per cent of fatalities in 2005 involving 16-to 19-year-olds were caused by alcohol-related car crashes.

For 20-25 age group, 41 per cent of fatalities were a direct result of alcohol-related crashes.

"Clearly, alcohol and driving is a lethal combination for everyone but in particular our youth," Adams said.

Keeping with the spirit of the campaign, a pair of partner initiatives will also take place over the next two months.

One will see the distribution of USB keys containing the television ads, as well as the distribution of decals featuring the slogan "Drinking and driving doesn't add up."

The removable decals will be placed on driver's-side car windows on vehicles in various locations by volunteers from Teens Against Drunk Driving, under the supervision of RCMP officers.

Jordan Kennedy, a student at Belleisle High School and a member of Teens Against Drinking and Driving, said it was important for teens to spread the message and get a feel for how drinking and driving can impact a life.

Assistant commissioner Darrell LaFosse, the commanding officer for RCMP J Division in New Brunswick, said any opportunity to discuss the communications and education side of drinking and driving, as well as increasing security on highways, is welcomed.

"When you get partnerships like we see here today between the province and different organizations ... we have the opportunity to reduce the collision and the carnage we see on the highways," LaFosse said.