With August’s long weekend just around the corner, the community is encouraged to enjoy one of its favourite summer weekends safely by avoiding an on-going problem — drinking and driving.
While the anti-drinking-and-driving message is always a priority, for Inspector Sean Aune of the Morden Police Service, it’s worthy of revisiting again considering a recent police report.
“We saw that there were four incidences of impaired driving that happened during [one] week,” he says. “I [can] see why that would be concerning to the public and obviously [it is] to us, too.”
Inspector Aune says that the ages for the week’s impaired drivers vary: 21, 25, 29, and 63.
“We also had one where we assisted another police agency,” he says. “That was a mid-age female.”
The ages indicate that drinking and driving is a decision made by various age groups; regardless of one’s years, no one is immune to making an error in judgement that can have disastrous consequences.
“The safety aspect of it [is] . . . the angle we're coming from. Let's be safe,” says Inspector Aune. “No one wants to live with [drunk driving accidents] on either side of it — the victims, families, [and not] the person that gets caught.”
Beyond that, Inspector Aune says that Manitoba is one of the provinces that leads the charge when it comes to harsh penalties for those caught drinking and driving.
“If you are eligible for first-time impaired driving, you will get a three-month suspension of your driver's license automatically through the impoundment of the vehicle, and a $700 fine,” he says. “Those are instant now.”
The immediate consequences have been implemented recently.
“[Manitoba has] given us legislation in the last couple of years [so] that we can deal with this right on the roadside,” says Inspector Aune. “So you're getting all those penalties instantly rather than waiting a year and a half for the court process.”
Following the vehicle impoundment and fine, there are also steps one must take with Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) before one can return to the road.
“Those penalties are . . . just the initial ones,” says Inspector Aune. “It goes far beyond that. There's going to be extra fees for impoundment, . . . for you getting your driver's license back, [and] the courses you have to take.”
There is also a cost to install an ignition interlock device in one’s vehicle after an impaired driving offence.
As far as the math goes, the penalties add up to about $2,000. The average person will become too intoxicated to blow within the legal limit to drive at four alcoholic drinks consumed in rapid succession. With these numbers, a $12 drink quickly comes to cost $512, which makes calling a taxi or arranging a sober ride all the more sensible.
While it’s always important to take the steps to operate a vehicle safely, August long weekend — with all its summer fun and time with family and friends — requires some extra vigilance.
One much-anticipated event coming up on August 4th this weekend is Morden’s Beach Blast, which has been rescheduled from Canada Day due to rain. Inspector Aune says that while he has no concerns about the event, there will be an increased enforcement presence there to ensure the safety of the crowd and its drivers.
“It kind of goes along with what we're talking about today,” he says. “We will have our members out there, so we just want [it] to be safe and fun for everybody.”
Inspector Aune notes that since Beach Blast tends to cause traffic back-up, Morden Police Service will have members at the event itself because it’s difficult to get through the traffic should an emergency occur.
For anyone headed out to the lake this weekend, keep in mind that the rules of impaired driving also apply to boat operators.
Over the weekend (and at any time), community members who notice erratic driving are encouraged to call the police service.
“[Calling is] always [an] option,” says Inspector Aune. “The [driving impairment incident] last week was simply that — a vehicle swerving all over the road. So instantly, that's not safe for anybody.”
Inspector Aune says that while the cluster of impaired driving offences is concerning, the problem is not unique to Morden.
“This is [a concern] for everybody, it's a common problem,” he says. “Let's just get the message out there . . . . These penalties are getting worse and worse, and harder and harder. Obviously, that's going to start making the message louder.”
To read about driving impairment in Manitoba, click here.
~With files from Ty Hildebrand~