With holiday party season kicking into high gear, police will be waiting at roadblocks around the province as part of the CounterAttack campaign.
Coquitlam RCMP Cpl. Jamie Chung said local Mounties will be doing extra enforcement on all major roadways and using strategic tools to target resources in areas with the most alcohol-related crashes resulting in deaths or serious injuries.
In 2010, Chung said, 64 people were injured in alcohol-related crashes in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam but so far this year, there have been at least two fatalities.
"If you've been drinking. use transit, take a taxi, ask a friend, stay home or use Operation Red Nose," Chung said.
This year, the Counter-Attack campaign, sponsored by police, the provincial government and ICBC, is asking people to plan ahead - and step up when it comes to choosing a designated driver.
"There are so many alternatives" to driving drunk, said Jon Schubert, ICBC's president and CEO, in a release. "Set an example - take your turn to be the designated driver." Volunteering to be a safe ride home can have a significant influence on others, he added.
Road checks will be taking place in B.C. throughout December in an effort to reduce impaired driving crashes. On average, 127 people die in impaired driving-related crashes each year in B.C.
"Celebrating with family and friends is an important part of the holidays," Shirley Bond, minister of public safety and solicitor general, said in a press release. "Getting home safely should be part of everyone's holiday planning."
MORE INFO ONLINE
For more information visit www.icbc.com or www.operationrednose.com.
