Keeping people safe
Published Friday December 12th, 2008
Be careful during the holidays | The Fredericton Police Force, MADD and Operation Red Nose are committed to keeping drunk drivers off the roads
It's the time of year when holiday parties abound and drinks flow freely. Just don't get so caught up in celebrating the season that you end up having a few too many beverages and climb behind the wheel of a car.
The perception is that drinking and driving doesn't happen as often as it used to, but is that the reality?
"I think so. My experience, over the years, is that it has vastly improved," says Const. Ralph Currie, spokesperson for the Fredericton Police Force. "But does it continue? Absolutely and that's the unfortunate thing about it."
While it is nothing like it once was, he says, the goal is to eliminate drinking and driving completely.
"One impaired driver is one too many," he says.
To combat the issue of drinking and driving, the Fredericton Police Force is increasing the number of check stops during the holiday season.
"It's the festive season, there are more parties, so it's a continual reminder to people not to drink and drive," says Currie.
"The real message is if you know you're going out, if you know you're going to be going to that party, you don't want to be trying to count your drinks because you're going to go over that."
The smart thing to do is to take a cab there so you have no choice but to take a cab home.
"Or, if you're disciplined enough to take your car there, know you'll be leaving it there for the night, that that's the plan," he says.
This past Saturday afternoon, the traffic section of the Fredericton Police Force held a road check in conjunction with Mothers Against Drunk Driving as a reminder to drivers that they will be watching.
The message that MADD is trying to send this holiday season is if you're drinking, don't drive.
"If you're going to be out partying this holiday season, taking in any Christmas cheer, use alternate forms of transportation," says Michelle Doiron, president of the local MADD chapter. "We have a public transit system here in Fredericton, we have cab companies that can take you home. Make other arrangements, maybe even stay over at the house."
There are all kinds of different options available, she says.
"Impaired driving is 100 per cent preventable," she says. "And on average, there are four Canadians killed every day and 190 injured each day due to impaired driving crashes."
This is ridiculous, says Doiron, as people can make other arrangements. They don't have to drink and drive.
"People do tend to party quite a bit this time of year, it is the season, but it is important for people to realize that if you are going to make the choice to drink, make the responsible choice not to drive."
MADD volunteers like to work with local law enforcement on things such as roadside checks because it helps increase awareness of the organization while reminding them of the dangers of drinking and driving.
"Our mission statement is to stop impaired driving and support victims of this violent crime," says Doiron. "We are in the community. If they have anything that happens to them, God forbid if anyone lost a loved one due to impaired driving, that we are here and we can make arrangements to get them any kind of help that they need."
MADD also holds an annual candlelight vigil, usually in the spring, so families can remember loved ones who were lost or injured because of impaired driving.
To learn more about MADD and its services, call 472-1999.
If you're looking for a way home on weekends during the holiday season and are in the Oromocto area, Operation Red Nose can help.
"If you are at a party in the Oromocto-Burton-Geary area, we will drive you pretty much anywhere within reason," says Margaret Granter, the project co-ordinator with Operation Red Nose Oromocto-Burton.
"We don't go to Saint John or anything like that, but we go to Beaver Dam, we go to Nasonworth, we go to Gagetown."
The volunteers can't pick up outside their area, she notes, as they simply don't have enough people to do so.
"We still continue to hope that Fredericton will come on side," she says, noting that Saint John came on this year with its own Operation Red Nose, joining Moncton and Oromocto-Burton in this area of the province.
"If we could just get Fredericton, it would be marvelous, because we could all work together and we would be able to cover this area of the province," says Granter.
This is the eighth year that the Oromocto-Burton Operation Red Nose has served the community and the 25th year for the program, which began as a fundraiser by the swim team at Laval University in Quebec.
How Operation Red Nose works is simple. It is a volunteer driving service provided during the holiday season to all drivers who have been drinking or who do not feel fit to drive their own vehicle.
It's a free way of getting a safe ride in one's own vehicle without driving it.
"There are a lot more parties (this time of year), people do go and think they'll only have a couple of beers or a couple of drinks, but they get caught up in the excitement of the party," says Granter, then some make a bad decision and think they're OK to drive home.
Also, it's such a busy time of year that people want to have easy access to the cars the next day, so don't want to leave it somewhere overnight.
"They get up in the morning and they have things they have to do," she says. "We take them home in their own car, we make sure that they're safe in their yard and their car is safe. It's a great thing."
Although there is no charge for the rides provided by Operation Red Nose, donations are welcome.
"All our donations go to youth and amateur sport in the Oromocto, Burton and Geary area. Last year we were able to donate $4,000 to different groups in our area," says Granter.
Operation Red Nose volunteers have already been working for two weekends. They will be available to provide drives the evenings of Dec. 12, 13, 19, 20 and 31. The number to call is 357-7133.
"And if there is anybody out there who wants to volunteer, we are still desperately looking for volunteers," she says. "We need all the volunteers we can get, especially on New Year's Eve."
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