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In just a few hours mounties will mark the start of the holiday check stop season
in our region. They stop drivers year-round but say this time of year keeps them
busier than ever. Breanna Karstens-Smith joins us now in studio with more, Breanna:
Well Bill, RCMP are hoping that tonight's kick off sends a clear
message. They want drivers to know that they're the lookout
for impaired drivers
and that there are other options.
"Had anything to drink this evening?" They're a common sight on Alberta's highways no matter the time
of year, but with holiday parties and colder weather pumping more impaired drivers
RCMP here getting ready for the busiest check stop season.
Check stops are very, very important
um... in the fight against impaired driving.
It really reminds people that they can't get away with it.
It also helps keep our roads safe.
they also remind drivers of the other options.
Everybody gets a
vest
Operation Red Nose has closed in Edmonton
But in Fort Saskatchewan they're busier than ever.
besides getting people home safely
volunteers help at check stops to spread their message. It's just to make a
presence let people know
that there is an alternative to driving
after you've been drinking.
But drivers still aren't listening
RCMP say on any given night
One in 33 drivers on Canadian roads are impaired.
the most likely to have been drinking before a crash:
men between eighteen and twenty-four.
A group, students against drunk driving targets when talking to schools
we give them those statistics, and hope it opens up their eyes.
and they seem to think a little more.
but what's been really surprising
in recent years is that we start to see the female rate
start to climb up. This holiday season police have a new tool to work with
tougher impaired driving legislation
They can suspend person's license if caught with a blood alcohol level over
0.05.
Operation Red Nose has already seen the effects. A fellow
I talked to him, he sounded perfectly fine
but he said with the new law I need my license to work
he said i'm not taking a chance on it. It's a choice officers are hoping to see more drivers
make as they launch the check stop season
now Operation Red Nose Fort Saskatchewan is also marking their first weekend of
the season
last night alone they gave seven rides. That's
their busiest start in six years
since they've been operating.
okay so uh... we know that Mounties are starting their check stop season, When are
Edmonton Police expected to start theirs?
Well as the RCMP do, they do it all all year round, but they are expected to be
launching their campaign next weekend for the holiday season.