Tougher drinking and driving laws that came into force this week should encourage more people to make safe travel arrangements for their holiday gatherings.
And that’s good news for Operation Red Nose in Tri-Cities, Burnaby and New Westminster.
The driving service that raises funds for KidSport has seen an uptick in demand over recent weekends, and those numbers could increase further because of tougher laws, says Chris Wilson, coordinator and volunteer with Operation Red Nose.
“Four years ago when the province toughened the drinking driving laws and made it more of a civil issue than a legal issue and people were going to be spending $6,000 and having their car impounded — we had a big jump then,” Wilson said.
Now the federal government has further increased fines, eliminated some legal defenses and established mandatory breathalyzer tests that allow police to take a breath sample anytime they lawfully stop a driver. Previously, they had to have a reasonable suspicion of impairment before requiring the tests. Drivers who refuse can be charged.
While some groups, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving are lauding the tougher rules and some lawyers are criticizing them because of fears they could lead to baseless searches, especially against visible minorities, the federal government maintains they simply bring Canadian laws in line with other jurisdictions and will further drive down impaired driving fatalities.
But for Wilson, who is also a Coquitlam councillor, finding another way to get home after drinking and driving is just a sensible thing to do.
“I say people are getting the message and doing the right thing.”
In fact, this year Operation Red Nose, which provides drivers for clients and brings the client’s car home safely for a donation, has seen more people take advantage of the service.
Last year at this time, the volunteers operating out of a closed ICBC claim centre in Coquitlam gave 154 rides, this year that number is 199, with people offering some large donations. Wilson said the average cash or credit card donation is over $54.
“I think people just like the fact that the money goes to charity and the charity goes to KidsSport,” Wilson said.
Still there are challenges, more volunteers are needed, especially for the busy New Years Eve night, and people who are interested should get their criminal record check with Coquitlam RCMP or Port Moody Police before Christmas to ensure they get the paperwork done in time.
Wilson also advises clients to give drivers ample time to arrive for pick up, between 45 and 60 minutes this weekend and up to two hours on New Years’ Eve.
If you need a safe ride home for you and your car, call Operation Red Nose at 778-866-6673. Hours of hours of operation are from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., and the remaining dates are Friday, Dec. 21, Saturday, Dec. 21 and Monday, Dec. 31.
For more information, or to volunteer, visit www.operationrednosetricities.com.
