Chestermere Chooses Not To Drink And Drive

During the holidays, there does seem to be an increase in impaired drivers on Alberta roads and highways. Holiday parties with friends, family and co-workers are a big part of the Christmas season and no everyone makes the best decision at the end of the night when they’ve had too much to drink.
Alberta Transportation provided some statistics regarding impaired driving in our province:
• As the severity of the collision increases, so does the likelihood that the collision involved a drinking driver.
• On average in Alberta, one in five drivers involved in fatal collisions had been drinking prior to the collision (2009-2013)
• According to statistics, males between 18 and 21 years of age are most likely to have been drinking before a collision.
• The highest number of casualty collisions involving alcohol occur from May to October.
• Most casualty collisions involving alcohol occur on the weekends.
• The most likely time for these collisions is between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.
• Drinking and driving collisions are often associated with long weekends.
They also reported that over the last five years, there have been 42,913 criminal convictions for impaired driving in Alberta (April 1, 2009 – March 31, 2014).
Drinking and driving imposes enormous costs on our society. The greatest impact of drinking and driving is the victims. Alarming stats show that from 2009 to 2013, 444 people were killed and 6,649 people were injured in alcohol-related collisions. In 2013 alone, 80 people were killed and 1,133 were injured.
But those numbers do not represent drivers here in Chestermere. I spoke with Sgt. Mark Wielgosz – Acting Detachment Commander of the Chestermere RCMP Detachment who said that from December 20th, 2015 to January 1, 2016 there were two impaired drivers charged and one roadside suspension. These same dates the year prior also showed those same results.
Some Chestermere businesses and residents stepped up during the holiday season offering free rides home to anyone who needed them and that mixed with drivers making responsible decision, is no doubt what led to such low incidents of impaired driving.
According to Alberta Transportation, the penalties for impaired driving are as follows:
Implemented July 1, 2012 for drivers with blood alcohol over .08:
• Criminal charge for BAC over .08, impaired by drugs or alcohol or refusal to provide requested sample(s).
• Immediate licence suspension which is sustained until criminal charge is resolved.
1st charge: sustained licence suspension and 3-day vehicle seizure, “Planning Ahead” course.
2nd charge: sustained licence suspension, 7- day vehicle seizure, “Impact” course.
3rd charge: sustained licence suspension, 7-day vehicle seizure, “Impact” course.
Mandatory ignition interlock after criminal conviction – 1 year for 1st conviction; 3 years for 2nd conviction; 5 years for 3rd conviction.
Implemented September 1, 2012 for drivers with Blood Alcohol .05 to .08:
1st offence – Immediate 3-day licence suspension and 3-day vehicle seizure.
2nd offence – Immediate 15-day licence suspension, 7-day vehicle seizure, “Planning Ahead” course.
3rd offence – Immediate 30-day licence suspension, 7-day vehicle seizure, “Impact” course.
Implemented July 1, 2012 for new (GDL) drivers with blood alcohol over .00
GDL driver found with any blood alcohol – Immediate 30-day licence suspension and 7-day vehicle seizure