Holiday RIDE campaign saw jump in impaired driving arrests from 2014

In a press release, police called those results “somewhat sobering” as almost twice as many drivers were arrested as during the previous year’s campaign. “But we know how people think and for those who try to drive around it, we’re always going to have officers lurking around the outside of the RIDE program”.

Charges were laid against 12 drivers for Drive Over 80 mgs and 17 drug charges were distributed under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

According to police, the average number of arrests per day during the holiday RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) program increased 27 per cent year over year, from 3.7 arrests in 2014 to 4.7 per day in 2015.

Over all, numbers do indicate a downward trend over the past five years; in 2012 there were a total of 909 impaired charges, and in 2011 there were 937 (Festive RIDE that year accounted for 155 drunk driving charges).

Four other drivers were given roadside tests, which determined that none of them were over the legal blood-alcohol limit.

Aside from being under the influence, five drivers were charged for using a vehicle with a suspended license and five open liquor charges were laid as well.

“People are absolutely not getting the message”, Const. Clint Stibbe told CP24 on Monday. The police are fulfilling their obligation to promote road safety, a perennial concern for everyone, he said. “But that’s 118 people out there, impaired on our roadways”.