Several drivers were pulled off the road last weekend after police coordinated efforts in clamping down impaired driving enforcement this holiday season.
Saturday, Dec. 5, was National Impaired Driving Enforcement Day across the province as well as MADD Canada Red Ribbon Campaign Day in Trail.
The Trail RCMP teamed up with West Kootenay Traffic Services RCMP and the Integrated Road Safety Unit (IRSU) to conduct road safety check stops from Rossland to Trail and the Beaver Valley.
West Kootenay Traffic Services and the IRSU took a number of drivers allegedly impaired by both alcohol and drugs off roads from the Alpine city to Fruitvale.
Additionally, the two specialty units wrote up drivers for a multitude of infractions including operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s licence and driving without valid vehicle insurance.
Impaired driver
- Dec. 4, a Greater Trail RCMP officer conducted a 2:30 p.m. traffic stop when a Ford F150 pickup had been observed driving in an erratic manner after departing a licensed establishment in Trail. During the stop the officer detected an odour of liquor emanating from the driver and began an impaired driving investigation.
A demand was read to the driver, who provided a sample of breath roadside which resulted in a “FAIL.”
The Trail man, 58, was issued a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition (IRP) and his vehicle is impounded for at least 30 days.
Road block
- Dec. 5, Trail detachment officers and the IRSU conducted road safety checkstops on Columbia Gardens Road in Fruitvale, and on Victoria Street in Trail.
More than 500 drivers and vehicles were checked over the course of the event.
Two drivers were found to be allegedly impaired by drugs and received IRPs.
One driver was found to be driving without valid insurance on his vehicle and ticketed $598.
The Trail RCMP will continue to step up impaired driving enforcement throughout the 2020 holiday season.
About MADD Canada’s Project Red Ribbon campaign:
Project Red Ribbon is MADD’s annual awareness campaign to promote sober driving during the holiday season. Even though the usual parties and celebrations may be limited this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the holiday season is still a time of high risk for impaired driving.
From now until the beginning of January, MADD Canada along with chapters and community leaders across the country will be distributing thousands of red ribbons and red ribbon car decals for Canadians to proudly display on their vehicles, key chains, purses, brief cases and backpacks.
MADD’s red ribbon is a small but powerful symbol of the wearer’s commitment to sober driving, and helps keep the sober driving message top of mind for all who see it.
Provincial anti-drinking and driving groups like MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) started to appear in Canada in the early 1980’s. The early pioneers were victims/survivors who wanted to educate the Canadian public about the human tragedies caused by impaired drivers.