COCHRANE— Victoria Day long weekend is right around the corner, and Alberta’s RCMP members will be patrolling the highways looking for impaired drivers.
Saturday (May 22) is National Impaired Driving Enforcement Day, and RCMP members across the province, including in Cochrane, will be participating.
The annual initiative is part of Canada Road Safety Week, which is a national campaign held from May 18 to 24, that aims to promote safe driving behaviours as they relate to impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding and more.
“All long weekends are on the radar as far as impaired driving enforcement. Additionally, Cochrane RCMP is doing what we do every year. We know we’re going to see a large amount of people coming out to the back hills area, in Waiparous and McLean Creek. As with other years we will have targeted enforcement of off-highway vehicles and liquor and that sort of thing in our parks and back country areas,” said Cpl. Troy Savinkoff.
He added the public can expect to see check stops, officers on off-highway vehicles patrolling backcountry areas and officers patrolling highways around Cochrane and elsewhere in the province.
Last year, Alberta RCMP charged 40 motorists with impaired driving during the Victoria Day long weekend alone.
“In 2020, approximately 20 per cent of all fatal motor vehicle collisions in Alberta RCMP jurisdictions involved impaired driving. Last year, Alberta RCMP charged 40 motorists with impairment over the Victoria Day Long weekend alone,” said Insp. Chris Romanchych, with Alberta RCMP Traffic Services. “We want to ensure that everyone, wherever they may be travelling over the long weekend, does so safely.”
Impaired driving remains a large problem in the province and the country, and continues to be the leading cause of criminal death in Canada.
“Impaired driving is the number one cause of criminal death in Canada. What that means is that more people are killed by drunk drivers than are murdered in this country. Obviously, murder is wrong, and we put a lot of resources and time into making sure those that commit murder are properly prosecuted, however, the victims of drunk driving are just as innocent,” Savinkoff said. “The fact that more people are killed by drunk drivers than are murdered should really hit home for people so they can understand the true implications that is has on society.”
