With the holiday season just around the corner, MADD Prince Albert has launched their Project Red Ribbon campaign to promote sober driving.
MADD representatives kick-started the 2023 campaign at the Lake Country Co-op grocery store in Cornerstone on Monday. MADD Prince Albert director Karen Anthony-Burns said boxes of red ribbons will be placed around Prince Albert to serve as a reminder to choose a safe ride home.
“A lot of people are celebrating right now. We’re starting into the Christmas season and the whole idea of Project Red Ribbon is to just remind all those holiday goers to make a plan for a safe ride home,” Anthony-Burns said. “When they tie on a red ribbon, they are making a pledge to drive sober.”
Residents are asked to display their commitment to sober driving by displaying a red ribbon or red ribbon car decal on their vehicle, key chains, purses, briefcases and backpacks. The campaign runs until Jan. 8, 2024.
Anthony-Burns said displaying a Red Ribbon can positively influence others.
“The whole idea is just to bring awareness to making a plan for a safe ride because we realize that we don’t want anybody causing any deaths and injuries due to impaired driving,” Anthony-Burns said.
The ribbons will be available at all Lake Country Co-op locations, as well as other businesses including Beau Lac Funeral Chapel and Northern Lights Casino.
“We are really fortunate to partner with Lake Country Co-op,” Anthony-Burns said. “They’re going to have those at all of their locations around Prince Albert and surrounding area. As well, Beau Lac Funeral Home is planning to have some and I’m looking to get a couple up to the casino as well.”
Although the Prince Albert campaign launched on Monday, it launched across the country on Nov. 1.
Project Red Ribbon raises awareness about the risks of impaired driving during the holiday season and urges people to plan ahead for a sober ride home if they are going to be consuming alcohol, cannabis or other drugs. Take a taxi, take public transit, arrange a designated driver, or plan to spend the night.
Every hour, on average, 10 impaired driving federal charge and provincial short-term license suspensions are laid in Canada, according to MADD Canada’s latest statistics.
“The numbers are still there and so obviously it’s still important to raise that awareness. We have new people coming up, we have younger people and we just want to make sure that messaging is out there for them,” Anthony-Burns said.
Along with Red Ribbons, MADD continues to use Mobile Report Impaired Driver (RID) signs and will be taking part in check stops during the holiday season.
“I think that’s a personal choice and this is the whole idea: to make people aware,” Anthony-Burns said.
Red ribbons and car decals are available from MADD Prince Albert at maddprincealbert@gmail.com
and the MADD Canada website at madd.ca.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
