Police told everyone, announcing it far and wide, that they were going to be stopping people on the Canada Day long weekend in and around Cowichan Lake where there was a huge music festival going on.
And yet, they still encountered 26 impaired drivers from 265 roadside breath screenings done.
A BC Highway patrol officer encapsulated the problem in a nutshell:
“Impaired driving is one of the leading causes of deaths on our roadways so finding nearly one out of every 10 drivers we tested over the weekend impaired is of great concern to me,” said Staff Sgt. Adam Tallboy. “Drivers who have consumed drugs or alcohol have a number of options to get home safely instead of getting behind the wheel of their vehicle and endangering all other road users.”
That is utterly unacceptable.
You’re not the only one on the road. You may be willing to gamble with your own life, but you have no right to gamble with someone else’s. The best way to make sure that you’re not going to be over the limit is not to drink at all when you know you’re going to have to drive.
Driving is a dangerous enough prospect without depleting your ability to make good driving decisions through alcohol and drugs.
Just last week alone at least 19 people were killed in crashes on B.C. roadways.
They leave behind grieving families and people who will never be the same.
And that’s to say nothing of the animal slaughter on the roads right now. How many dead deer or elk have you passed lately? That’s to say nothing of rabbits, squirrels, raccoons — the list goes on.
Other leading causes of crashes include distracted driving and speed. Put your phone away when you’re behind the wheel. Nothing needs your attention that badly, and it’s only arrogance to think that it does. If you’ve got a load of people in the vehicle let the driver concentrate by avoiding needless shenanigans and don’t demand their attention in conversation if there’s a lot to pay attention to on the road.
Slow the heck down. The few seconds (at most, minutes) you will gain by being a speed demon are a needless risk. When you get in the car, it takes as long as it’s going to take to get to your destination and nothing you do on the road (passing illegally, tailgating) will really change that in any significant way. You’ll see all the same vehicles at the next stoplight.
Remember, getting into a crash will delay you far more than anything else you may encounter, including the slower vehicle in front of you.
The delay may even be permanent.
