Santa Claus’ ‘Naughty List’ is as big as his holly jolly belly this month when it comes to the reckless realm of street sinners and I’m not talking about the designers behind that intersection, but I digress.
The holidays season has rode its ravishing red sleigh into town and riding shotgun are a number of things like snowy weather, the cold, more snowy weather, and of course, making regrettable decisions at Christmas work parties. And by that I mean impaired driving, of course – get your mind out of the gutter.
While this goes without saying, impaired driving anywhere, at any time is not only illegal but it also threatens the lives and safety of the driver and those around them.
I know the boys up in Cold Lake and Bonnyville would rather plug their ears than hear this, but driving is a privilege, not a right.
Winter driving offers its challenges and stresses like slippery roads and poor visibility, but in some cases it’s the person with the keys ultimately making bad choices behind the wheel.
Don’t be like these people.
While specific statistics weren’t available for the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country, 1,933 tickets were issued in Alberta in December during the 2024 National Safe Driving Week, which also combined National Impaired Driving Enforcement Day on Dec. 7, with check stops being utilized to perform mandatory alcohol screenings.
From Dec. 1-7, Alberta RCMP, along with other police forces across Canada, handed tickets to motorists for various infractions such as careless driving (18), distracted driving (18) and 642 for speeding, including one motorist caught going 191 km/h in a 110 zone.
For impaired driving (those who ruined Christmas), police issued 159 immediate roadside sanctions – a penalty an officer can impose if they believe a driver is impaired by alcohol and drugs like cannabis. On Dec. 7, police said 54 impaired drivers were removed from the roads.
Speaking toward impaired driving, preventative measures can be taken ahead of time.
Plan to stay over, take a taxi, ride share program, public transportation, or have a designated driver. In major centres like Calgary and Edmonton, AMA offers a list of designated driver services.
One thing that might be lost in the shuffle for some is to never enter a vehicle with an impaired driver as well. Impaired driving is one of the leading criminal causes of death and injury.
That being said, it is winter and 'tis the season of slippery roads, so not all accidents can be attributed to poor choices and bad drivers.
Approximately one third of accidents happen on wet, icy and snowy roads, so checking the forecast and local road reports can be life savers.
When driving in poor conditions is unavoidable, the key takeaway is safety. Drive to the conditions, make sure the snow tires are still gripping, and arrive alive.
Have a safe and lovely holiday season, everyone.
And to the Outlook staff, apologies in advance to whoever gets the tube socks in the Secret Santa present exchange.
