Reminding people about the dangers of impaired driving is important to Karen Anthony-Burns of the Prince Albert Mothers Against Drinking and Driving (MADD), and that’s the main reason why they’re re-launching a mobile sign campaign.
The Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS), MADD, SGI and the provincial government joined MADD in re-starting the “Impaired Driver Caught Here” mobile sign campaign Friday morning at Prince Albert City Hall.
It’s been 12 years since Anthony-Burns’ youngest son, Daniel Carter, was hit in an alcohol-related crash while crossing the street. She became emotional while talking about Daniel’s death during a speech at the re-launch.
“Daniel died as a result of the injuries he received two days later,” Anthony-Burns said through tears.
“One of the main messages MADD Canada tries to convey is that everyone has the power to prevent impaired driving. Everyone can plan ahead for a safe and sober ride home. Everyone can make a responsible choice. Even one death or one injury is too many.”
MADD Estevan, MADD Meadow Lake, MADD Prince Albert, MADD Saskatoon, MADD Regina and for the first time MADD Moose Jaw will place signs at locations within their communities where impaired drivers were caught and criminally charged. In many cases, the impaired drivers were caught by police following 911 calls from members of the public.
Burns said most MADD chapters stop placing signs around the community during the winter. Prince Albert was one of the few that kept placings signs during the winter months. They’re joining the relaunch campaign in solidarity with other Saskatchewan communities.
“In Prince Albert we have been fortunate to be able to continue to put those signs out and the city is very good about it,” she said. “If there are signs, they don’t remove them.”
MADD members have placed 132 signs in Prince Albert since September 2020. Anthony-Burns asked the public to leave the signs where they are, since they signify a location where someone was caught.
The signs feature the messages “Impaired Driver Caught Here” and “Call 911”, the signs are moved to new locations every other week by MADD Canada Chapter and Community Leader volunteers in each community. The campaign is conducted in partnership with the local police services in each community and Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI).
Since the beginning of 2022, signs have been placed all over the community, including on River Street East and West, Fourth Street East, 20th Street East, 25th Street West and the airport entrance on Highway 55.
“These charges are occurring all day and night and throughout the city,” she said.
“The signs act as a deterrent to anyone who would ignore the law and take the risk of driving impaired.”
The campaign began on Friday with local events in each community, followed by special sobriety checkpoints hosted by each community’s police service Friday evening. Sober drivers who go through those checkpoints received gift cards to local businesses as a reward for making a safe and responsible decision. One lucky sober driver in each community received a $75 gift card.
Anthony-Burns said the signs are an important part of raising awareness. She hopes they will convince anyone who sees an impaired driver to call 9-1-1.
“That is a great help, to have people feeling they have that power and that freedom to be able to phone 911,” she said. “And that (they know) police want them to do that.”
Prince Albert Police Chief Jonathan Bergen also sees the value in the signs. He said it’s valuable to have visual reminders that bad choices have a serious impact.
“That reminder is there to say, ‘hey, there are consequences for this bad decision. It is avoidable.’ This is a reminder that we can do better as a community and to prevent the ongoing impaired driving we continue to see,” he said.
Police accident data shows there are hundreds of accidents each year, with the majority being scene and property damage. In 2021, Prince Albert police responded to 49 accidents where someone was injured. So far this year, they have charged 19 people with impaired driving.
“Again, it’s a decision that is made that is going to impact the driver and there are consequences there with strict penalties,” he said. “But, it also can change the lives of so many others as we heard here today.”
Between February 28 and March 28 there were 95 RID (report of impaired driving) complaints made to Prince Albert Police Service.
MADD Canada’s latest statistics show that in 2019 in Canada nearly 87,000 charges and provincial license suspensions were laid for impaired driving while in Saskatchewan 3,993 charges and suspensions.
MADD Canada, law enforcement and SGI encourage the public to never drive impaired. Plan ahead for a sober ride home – Call a cab or designated driving service, take public transit or arrange a designated driver, never accept a ride from a driver who may be impaired and call 911 if you see a driver you suspect is impaired.
On Friday morning, there was a serious collision on 6th Avenue East which Bergen did not have details on. However, he saw it as another example of how accidents can impact lives.
“People that are involved in that accident, where were they going earlier this morning? Was it off to work? Was it off to school? And how quickly that can it impact others and change lives forever. Anything we can do as a community to prevent impaired driving, to prevent distracted driving and to prevent any accident is an investment that we are going to continue to make as a police service. And we see that in our commitment to our traffic safety officers,” Bergen said.
There are currently six traffic officers assigned to monitor roadway safety and enforce where necessary.
“We are fortunate to be supported by SGI and by the Government of Saskatchewan to continue to invest in roadway safety,” he added.
During his own speech, he thanked Anthony-Burns for her commitment to the community and partners SGI, the Government of Saskatchewan. He also thanked all 102 sworn members for the work they do each day to keep roads safe.
There have been 147 RID received this year alone Prince Albert.
“That’s 147 too many, with that commitment from the public we are responsive to the ongoing impaired driving is one that we are thankful for,”
There were also pictures and stories on display were people from Prince Albert and area injured by an impaired driver. MADD Prince Albert President Darren Deck, representatives of SGI Canada and MLAs Joe Hargrave and Alana Ross were also present for the ceremony.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
