Things were a little quieter for the Campbell River RCMP this week.
Officers responded to 273 calls between last Tuesday and today. That is down from the same week last year, however, the RCMP has responded to 1500 more calls in 2019 at this point than by the same time in 2018.
With that said the RCMP is also offering some stern holiday advice.
“It’s hard to put this forward without sounding like a broken record. If you drink…..don’t drive. If you do drugs…don’t drive. The police have a whole host of tools at their disposal for punishment, but the reality is, it’s the community itself that can help prevent impaired driving. Here are a few simple holiday tips with a little info you may not know,” says Constable Maury Tyre.
Keep in mind that if you’re hosting a Christmas party you have a certain level of responsibility for your guests.
Constable Tyre says “Arranging safe rides home for your guests or keeping their keys before the party gets started can do a lot to keep the community safe and limit the party host’s liability.
“Plan ahead; if you plan to partake in alcohol or cannabis over the holidays when you go out, leave the car at home. It could save you from making an unwise decision later when your logic faculties have been affected.”
Tyre says you also need to read and heed the warnings on your medications.
“Many people forget that their medications may make them impaired. Then when mixed with alcohol or cannabis have a very negative effect on someone’s ability to drive. Fair warning, just because it’s a prescribed drug, does not mean you can drive on it. Cannabis and Opioid painkillers may be prescribed medications for some, but a prescription does not allow you to be impaired behind the wheel. “
Tyre is encouraging everyone to think of others during the holidays so that everyone can enjoy the season without tragedy.
“Aside from the legal pain, the devastation an impaired driver causes to families of others and to themselves can be extreme. Most recent statistics show that 23% of all motor vehicle fatalities in B.C. involve impaired driving.”
