The Calgary Police Service (CPS) will be stepping up its campaign against impaired driving over the holiday season.
Police say there have been 35 fatal crashes on Calgary roads so far this year and impairment by alcohol or drugs is believed to be a factor in five of them.
Staff Sgt. Andy Woodward of the Calgary police traffic unit says CPS will be working with the Alberta Sheriffs, Tsuu T’ina Nation police, RCMP and members of the Canadian Pacific Kansas City police force in December in an effort to take impaired drivers off the road.
Staff Sgt. Andy Woodward of the CPS traffic unit says of the 35 fatal crashes on Calgary roads so far this year, five of them are believed to have involved impairment by drugs or alcohol.
Global News
“Every impaired driving collision is a preventable one, and every life is lost is a tragedy we work tirelessly to avoid,” said Woodward as he spoke with the media about CPS plans Thursday morning.
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“While the numbers for … impairment may not seem high, behind every fatality is a loved one who did not come home and the first responder had to deliver heartbreaking news to a devastating family — and we cannot forget the non-fatal collisions that can leave lasting physical scars and emotional trauma.”
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Along with the five fatal crashes, CPS says officers have charged 109 drivers with impaired driving or refusing to take a breathalyzer, so far this year.
They’ve also issued 2,170 immediate roadside suspensions.
So far this year, Calgary police say they’ve charged 109 drivers with impaired driving or refusing to take a breathalyzer and handed out 2,170 immediate roadside suspensions.
Global Calgary
Woodward says check stops will be set up at different times of day on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday through during the month of December through New Years Eve.
“We have a high-profile check stop, which is the the bus and vehicles parked on the side of the road and then vehicles are guided into the check stop, or we have a what we call a kind of low-profile one which is a roving check stop where you’ll see police officers, we go to an area and we drive around that area and we stop like we would be on patrol,” added Woodward.
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While he describes impaired driving as a problem throughout the year, December is traditionally the month when “everybody seems to wanna go out and party” and the holiday season seems to be getting longer and longer every year.
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