MADD Prince Albert rouses advocates at awareness event

Food was provided by Mr. Mikes in exchange for donations. Power 99’s own Trevor Gowan MCed the event.

Eleven photos of victims of impaired driving were placed in front of the stage with kind words from their families and friends.

A memorial wall honouring the victims and survivors of impaired driving flanked the photos.

Const. Lindsay took the stage to detail statistics about impaired driving. He said since 2012, impaired driving charges in Prince Albert have risen yearly from 124, to 176 in 2013, 189 last year and 135 so far this year.

“Right now we’re on par or will even be ahead of last year,” Const. Lindsay said. “There have been some serious accidents, and other ones where major incidents have happened due to an alcohol related offense.

“We’re not saying you can’t have a glass of wine or a beer,” he stressed, “but be responsible about it.”

Hoback spoke to congratulate MADD Canada on their efforts.

He also detailed a non-partisan bill targeting repeat offenders that he’d championed in the House of Commons.

“What we’re trying to do is go after the repeat offenders,” he elaborated in an interview afterward. “You know, the people who were twice the legal limit and were two sheets to the wind, to make sure they get appropriate sentences and punishments for drinking and driving.”

According to Hoback, statistics have shown that repeat offenders are most often to be found with a blood alcohol level of .16 or more, and “tend to cause half the deaths on the highways.

“This was a piece of legislation I introduced to the House of Commons, and I made sure to keep it non-partisan because this is beyond party politics.

“It unfortunately ran out of time…but it showed that the House of Commons is taking this issue seriously and wants to do something on that.”

Awareness and promotion of RID, the report impaired driving initiative, was also a major part of the event.

When calling 911 to report an impaired driver, it is important to provide the dispatcher with the following information:

Direction of the vehicle
Make, model, and colour of the car (or as many details as possible)
Gender of the driver
Clothing description

“There have been 702 calls so far this year,” Const. Lindsay said. “Last year nearly a thousand, and more than a thousand in 2013.”

MADD Canada provides support services for victims and survivors of impaired driving, such as resources to deal with the effects of the incident, and also legal counsel.

The Prince Albert chapter can be reached by phone at (866) 900-6233 and by email at maddprincealbert@gmail.com.

ssterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit

by Spencer Sterritt

MADD Prince Albert rouses advocates at awareness event

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