The message is plain and simple.
Do not drink or use drugs and drive.
Sault Ste. Marie Police Service officers, joined by officers from the Anishinabek Police Service, Sault OPP and RCMP reinforced that message as they gathered on Bay Street on Thursday to officially launch the 2022 Festive RIDE Campaign.
Sault Police will run the campaign in the Sault and Prince Township from Dec. 1 to Jan. 1.
The number of impaired driving offences reported from the 2021 RIDE Campaign was down from 2020 because of a significant decrease in traffic, police believing that was mainly due to ongoing public health restrictions at the time.
“There definitely will be more traffic on the streets this year and we hope that the numbers don’t go up,” said Acting Sergeant Ben Williams of Sault Police Traffic Services, speaking to reporters at Thursday’s campaign kickoff.
“Impaired driving can lead to all kinds of roadway issues including fatalities. It’s not safe to drive with any sort of drug or alcohol in your system because it impairs your ability to operate a vehicle. It damages you, it damages you financially and potentially harms anyone on the roadway. We want to keep the roadways safe.”
“We’re just hoping that people use alternate transportation and not drive after consuming alcohol and/or drugs,” Williams said.
The 2021 Festive RIDE campaign took place from December 1, 2021, to January 1, 2022. During the campaign 1,005 vehicles were stopped and checked. Those spot checks resulted in the following,
- 10 roadside tests conducted
- Two three-day licence suspensions
- Five Impaired Driving Related Criminal Charges laid
- Three Highway Traffic Act charges
RIDE or Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere initiatives take place year-round but because the Christmas season sees an increase in the number of vehicles on area roadways, police ramp up their efforts.
Police will be conducting roadside checks throughout the Christmas season to ensure drivers are sober.
“We urge everyone in our community to have a plan when attending holiday functions,” stated Sault Police Traffic Sergeant Ray Magnan in a release.
“If you are celebrating in such a way that your ability to operate a vehicle will be impaired, arrange for a ride home by calling a friend, family member, taxi or ride sharing company to get home.”
“If you suspect someone is driving impaired, call 911. The Highway Traffic Act allows drivers who are calling Police, Fire or Ambulance to use their cell phone while driving.”
“If you are caught driving while impaired you could face the suspension of your driver’s licence, vehicle impoundment, fines, and jail time. For drivers under the age of 22, as well as G1, G2 and commercial drivers, if you are caught with any alcohol or cannabis in your system, you could face an automatic three-day licence suspension.”
“Once charged with excess blood alcohol, refusing a breath test, refusing a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) demand or if a DRE determines your ability to drive is impaired by alcohol, drugs or a combination of alcohol and drugs, a motorist is subject to an immediate 90-day driver’s licence suspension and seven-day vehicle impoundment.”
“If convicted, a driver will face suspensions, heavy fines, vehicle impoundments, mandatory alcohol education and treatment programs and the ignition interlock program,” the Sault Police release stated.