Regina tavern teams up with SGI for latest campaign

SGI’s latest impaired driving campaign has a partner in Regina.

Victoria’s Tavern approached SGI to become a partner in the Be a Good Wingman Campaign.

The campaign challenges people to step up to the plate and stop impaired friends from driving, even if they find it hard to say anything.

Chantelle Karaushaar, co-manager of Victoria’s Tavern, said it was an easy choice to partner up on the campaign.

“We just really care about our community and our customers here. We want to do our part in reducing impaired driving in the province, we know it’s a big problem,” she said.

“We have a cab stand right outside our front door, and we can give all kinds of cab information. We do have security on the weekend that can help customers get into cabs safely as well.”

Designated drivers are also given free pop drinks at the tavern, which already coaches staff to not over-serve alcohol through the Serve It Right program.

“We have all of our managers with those certificates and we will be making it mandatory for all of our employees very soon,” Karaushaar said.

The Serve It Right Saskatchewan (SIRS) program covers topics such as liquor laws in the province, helping bar staff understand what people look like when they’re intoxicated and what the driving laws.

In June 2015, the provincial government announced the mandatory server intervention training would be phased in over three years.

As of June this year, it’s required by law to have at least one person on each shift who has completed the training. By June 2018, all employees involved in the sale and service of alcohol must have successfully finished the course.

In Saskatchewan the numbers from 2016 show 54 people were killed and 456 were hurt in 1,085 crashes involving alcohol and drugs.