SUDBURY – Festive R.I.D.E. campaigns, Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere, have kicked off across our region and will run until December 31.
It's a message everyone knows, not to drive impaired, but yet many still get behind the wheel.
In Sudbury, Kim Hancock, a mother whose teen son was killed by a drunk driver is asking people to stay safe, drive sober, not under the influence of any alcohol or drugs and to remember D.J.
D.J. was killed by an impaired driver Walter Carter, who was three times over the legal limit when the head on crash happened in August of 2014.
Kim calls the choice to drive impaired 'selfish' because of the devastating impacts of impaired driving, a perfectly preventable crime.
"Heartbreaking, I can't even explain it. I mean I still live it every day, it's a nightmare, you know just the way D.J. was taken, it was a senseless crime and it could have been prevented," she expressed.
Sergeant Tim Burtt, Greater Sudbury Police Services, says the campaign is "not just something that is going to be the same time, the same day, it will be all over the map, could be first thing in the morning, could be in the afternoon. Could be on a Monday, a weekend, it's nice to keep people on their toes."
He also adds that some drivers may think they are okay to drive the next morning, but may still be impaired.
"We get many of the morning after situations where people have been out having a good time, and then they wake up in the monring saying I am okay to go home, we have quite a few collisions that occur on Saturday, Sunday morning, sometimes during the week."
Police urge the public to be responsible and say drivers can expect to see R.I.D.E. checks anytime despite the misconception that they are mainly set up at night.
