Chestermere RCMP will be continuing to work hard this holiday season to keep everyone safe on the roads as they travel to and from Christmas parties this year.
“We will be out, we will be checking for impaired drivers, we will have check stops out there,” said Staff Sgt. Mark Wielgosz.
The police have been aggressively pursuing road safety initiatives in Chestermere this past year and a half.
Wielgosz said that the results the safety program have been very positive.
“We haven’t had an alcohol related collision here in quite some time,” he said.
In an effort to keep that number at zero, RCMP will be holding check stops throughout December.
“The bottom line is we’re just trying to maximize people’s awareness to maximize safety on our roads through the holiday season,” he said.
“The last thing we want to have is to have to deliver unfortunate news because of something that was preventable,” said Wielgosz.
In Alberta, anyone who blows over 0.05 per cent on a breathalyzer test is subject to a three-day roadside suspension and the impoundment of their car.
A criminal charge is laid if a driver blows over 0.08 per cent.
“It’s just a matter of planning ahead,” said Wielgosz, “if you think you’re going to have a few, have a couple different options of how you’re going to get home.”
Wielgosz said that there is no real rule of thumb to tell whether a person has had too much to drink.
“Everyone’s different and its based really on your physiology, how much you’ve had to eat that day and how much you drank and what kind of liquor you drank,” he said.
His advice is to always have a designated driver.
“If you have to ask yourself are you good enough to drive then perhaps you should be seeking and alternative way home,” he said.
Other ways to stay safe on the roads this winter now that the colder temperatures have arrived include: leaving extra time to get to one’s destination, increase following distances and drive for the road conditions.
“If the roads are…in poor state of condition don’t drive as fast as you can, drive only as fast as safely possible to get to where you’re going,” said. Wielgosz.
