Chestermere RCMP are reminding drivers to plan ahead when heading out to their annual Christmas party’s this holiday season.
“If you can afford to go out drinking, you can afford a cab ride home,” said Chestermere RCMP detachment commander Staff Sgt. Mark Wielgosz.
With the holiday season, comes time spent out with friends and family celebrating Christmas.
With that often comes a glass of wine, beer or rum and eggnog as part of the merry making and socializing at Christmas parties throughout the month.
Wielgosz said that ultimately the police’s goal is to make sure everyone is safe on the roads.
“Through the holiday season we want to make sure that everybody has the opportunity to enjoy friends family and the season generally,” he said.
“We want to make sure everyone has a safe holiday, everyone can equally enjoy their holidays, and we want to make sure that everyone makes it to their events but also they make it home safe as well,” said Wielgosz.
Impaired drivers are a danger to all road users not just themselves. Other drivers and pedestrians are put at risk when someone makes the decision to drink and drive.
“At the end of the day just plan ahead and make sure that you have a plan to get home,” said Wielgosz.
There are a number of options available to those planning on having something to drink while out at a Christmas Party.
Ranging from traditional taxis to Uber to designated driver programs Wielgosz urges party goers to research what is available before heading out this season.
To ensure safety on the roads, the RCMP have been enhancing their winter check stop program through the month of December.
“We’ll have check stops going on during high visibility events just to make sure that we’re checking drivers to ensure they are safe to be on the road and of course to raise visibility and awareness of road safety,” said Wielgosz.
This increase in focus on impaired drivers goes hand-in-hand with the police’s ongoing Chestermere Enhanced Road Safety Initiative.
“We will have additional members on the roadways again checking people for impaired driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving to ensure that we’re maximizing safety on the roads in Chestermere,” he said.
Wielgosz also hopes that this will ensure that the message is getting out in the community and raising everyone’s awareness of road safety.
Over the past several years, Wielgosz said that road safety has been fairly static in the city.
“We haven’t had any major incidents over those periods and again that’s something we certainly want to continue,” he said.
While there haven’t been any major incidents, impaired driving continues to be a problem across the province and Chestermere is no exception.
“Even though a person may not be caught for impaired driving or suspended for driving while having too much alcohol in their system they’re still out there and… if they’re, at this point, not causing collisions or being caught it doesn’t mean they’re not there,” said Wielgosz.
“And that’s why we want to be visible,” he said, “that’s why we’re ensuring that we’re continuing with our public education and…we’re hoping through enforcement there’s also a level of deterrence.”
In addition to having a plan before heading out to celebrate the season, Wielgosz also wants to remind drivers to be aware of the road conditions when going out, whether it is to a social event or one’s regular commute.
He realizes that there have been warmer than average temperatures of late however sooner or later the snow and ice will come back.
“If your planning on going somewhere whether it be for the holidays or…your daily commute to work pay attention to the weather make sure you give yourself enough time and ensure that you have the proper safety equipment with you,” he said.
“At the end of the day it’s about safety, ensuring that everybody can enjoy the holiday’s together,” said Wielgosz.
