DRPS completed its fifth week of the 2024 Festive Ride program, stopping more than 2,300 vehicles and charging 21 drivers with impaired driving offences. More than 200 drivers were given roadside breath tests.
A designated driver is someone who should abstain completely from alcohol or drug consumption before driving. This week, one motorist learned this the hard way, receiving a 90-day licence suspension and a court date, after deciding they would be the designated driver because they drank less than their passenger.
Police officers conducted RIDE checks throughout the region with the following totals (the numbers in brackets reflect 2023 week five totals for comparison):
- Vehicles stopped – 2323 (1973)
- People given Roadside Breath Tests – 218 (61)
- People received “3 Day Suspensions” for registering a warn – 15 (6)
- Novice Driver received a 3, 7 or 30 Licence Suspension – 3 (4)
- People were charged with Impaired Driving Offences – 21 (17)
- Impaired/Exceed/ Refuse charged laid – 31 (26)
- Other Criminal Code Charges – 18 (26)
- Charged with various Highway Traffic Act offences – 171 (101)
- Drug Offences – 2 (0)
During the first five weeks, the 2024 Festive Ride Team has arrested and charged 86 drivers for impaired related driving offences. That is only one less than the entire six-week campaign in 2023.