91原创 RCMP are planning more roadblocks 鈥� and not just on the weekends 鈥� now that statistics are showing there are more drunk drivers are on the roads this holiday season than last.
鈥淟ooking at the stats, there are more drivers consuming liquor and getting behind the wheel this year compared to last season,鈥� said 91原创 RCMP Traffic Section Sgt. Alexandra Mulvihill.
When the RCMP launched their CounterAttack program on Saturday, Dec. 2, 91原创 police issued three 90-day roadside suspensions, one three-day driving suspension and two 24-hour suspensions for drugs in a two-hour blitz.
Mulvihill doesn鈥檛 know if there is any correlation between the uptick in impaired drivers and the loss of Operation Red Nose in 91原创/Surrey this December.
In November, after numerous years of operation in 91原创 and Surrey, Operation Red Nose announced it didn鈥檛 have enough volunteers to drive people to and from parties.
Because the initial CounterAttack stops turned up so many impaired drivers, 91原创 RCMP plan on setting up roadblocks at random places and times throughout the rest of the holiday season.
On a positive note, police have noticed liquor establishments have been good about reporting intoxicated people to the RCMP.
鈥淲e are seeing restaurants and bars taking a real responsibility and calling us. Sometimes that will mean someone will come into an establishment already drunk and will be refused service there and that establishment will contact us,鈥� said Mulvihill.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really nice to see. Everyone playing a role in stopping people from driving while impaired helps.鈥�
Another trend that traffic section officers have noticed is the number of impaired drivers they are taking off the road between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. 鈥� especially RCMP Freeway Patrol.
鈥淎 lot of people will drink all night and think they are being responsible by sleeping on a friend鈥檚 couch for a few hours before driving home,鈥� said Mulvihill.
鈥淭here is the philosophy out there that as long as you sleep a few hours, you are OK to drive. Alcohol in the system doesn鈥檛 work that way.鈥�
Mulvihill said if you have been drinking all night and try to drive the next morning, you are likely still drunk and you could fail a breathalyzer test.
