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One life is too many when taken by an impaired driver.
That was the resounding message from MADD Canada, the Saskatoon Police Service (SPS), the Government of Saskatchewan and the City of Saskatoon as they launched this year’s Crash Car Awareness campaign.
A wrecked vehicle will be on display, reminding people about the consequences of getting behind the wheel while impaired.
No parent wants to receive the message and no police officer wants to tell families that a loved one has been hurt or killed by impaired driving.
Each group stressed the importance of planning a safe ride home and not getting behind the wheel as police services across the province have the tools to detect if someone is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
MADD Saskatoon’s Lou Van de Vorst lost his son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren to someone who was driving impaired and expressed the importance of this campaign.
“Even one drink and or any amount of drugs can affect your ability to make rational decisions and operate a motor vehicle safely,” Van de Vorst said.
He said the reason for the campaign is to capture people’s attention and show the consequences when you decide to drive impaired.
According to SGI, the preliminary data from 2021 showed 33 people were killed and more than 300 were injured due to impaired driving.
Coun. Zach Jeffries echoed everyone else at the launch and said that no matter what that number is, it’s too high.
“We (have to) make that it’s not 33, it’s not 23 … that it’s zero. Let’s keep working together and plan a safe ride home,” said Jeffries, who has heard from countless friends and families who’ve been impacted and even recalled when this campaign was at his high school when he attended Evan Hardy Collegiate.
SPS Deputy Chief Mitch Yuzdepski says it takes a lot for these families to talk about their grief and was impressed by the courage they showed in relaying an important message, but any incident affects a whole community.
“I know how that has impacted me and how that has impacted some of my fellow officers and I can’t imagine the impact it has had on these families,” Yuzdepski said, referring to when they have to pass along tough information to families.
Until the end of July, the wrecked car will be placed in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and Meadow Lake with the message, “Impaired Driving Kills.”