IMPAIRED DRIVERS STILL NOT GETTING THE MESSAGE
York Regional Police would like to remind motorists of the dangers of impaired driving and the serious consequences imposed for those found to be drinking and driving with blood alcohol content over the legal limit. The community has experienced far too many tragic incidents as a result of impaired driving and despite the loss of so many lives, drivers still continue to put innocent people at risk.
Impaired driving charges increased 21 percent from 2016 to 2017, and so far in 2018 numbers are consistently high. With the legalization of marihuana in October, York Regional Police is already seeing a considerable increase of incidents of drivers being impaired by drugs as well. Impaired driving remains the number one criminal cause of death in Canada.
In a recent incident on Tuesday, August 7, 2018, just after midnight, a York Regional Police officer while on general patrol was almost struck head-on by a vehicle travelling eastbound in the westbound lanes of Davis Drive in Newmarket. The 20-year-old driver was arrested for Impaired Driving and blew almost three times the legal limit. Our impaired driving Not One More campaign is a reminder to motorists that York Regional Police officers will be out conducting aggressive enforcement throughout the remaining summer weeks in order to keep our streets safe. The Not One More campaign came as a result of the devastating collision that claimed the lives of the Neville-Lake children and their grandfather in September 2015. It involves officers providing drivers with awareness cards depicting artwork done by friends of the Neville-Lake family and it serves as an effective reminder of the far-reaching impact that impaired driving can have; not only on the families involved, but on the community as a whole.
“These incidents of impaired driving are not acceptable,” said Chief Eric Jolliffe. “It’s alarming that prior to the pending legalization of marihuana we are seeing this spike of drivers impaired by drugs. In light of the continued warnings about the dangers of impaired driving from police services across Canada, it’s shocking that anyone feels they have the right to risk the lives of innocent people by drinking alcohol or using drugs and getting behind the wheel. I can assure our community that York Regional Police is not giving up. We will continue to use education, enforcement and every tool at our disposal in our fight against impaired driving.”
The legal consequences of an impaired driving charge can include roadside vehicle impoundment and automatic driver’s license suspension as well as further consequences imposed by the courts, including longer licence suspensions, large fines and in some cases, jail time.
York Regional Police thanks members of the community for helping us stop and arrest impaired drivers by calling 9-1-1 through the Safe Roads...Your Call program. We consider these incidents a life-threatening crime in progress and will continue to respond to these calls. For more information, contact York Regional Police Corporate Communications at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 2664.
(Source: York Regional Police) |