Victoria police will be out in force to target drunk drivers beginning Saturday (Dec. 6) as part of ICBC's annual CounterAttack campaign.
Last year, VicPD's efforts netted 29 impaired drivers and 143 driving infractions in the first weekend of the campaign alone.
“Every December, we see people who think they’re okay to drive but end up causing crashes that change lives forever,” said VicPD Chief Const. Jamie Graham, chair of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police traffic safety committee.
ICBC numbers for Vancouver Island show an average of 930 people are injured in 3,500 car crashes each December, while annually 16 people are killed in crashes involving impaired drivers. Police encourage anyone consuming alcohol to take public transit, a taxi or arrange for a designated driver.
“The hardest aspect of a police officer’s job is telling a family they have lost a loved one as a result of one foolish decision – a loss that could have been prevented," Graham said. "We know there will be many gatherings this holiday season and that’s why officers across the province are dedicated to keeping impaired drivers off our roads.”
dpalmer@saanichnews.com