Curb the Danger program is getting drunk drivers off the street
In 2012, 223 impaired charges laid as a result of Curb the Danger program
Curb the Danger is helping get drunk drivers off the streets
The Edmonton Police Service is continuing to encourage citizens to call 911 to report suspected impaired drivers as part of the Curb the Danger program.
“The bad news is that we still have impaired drivers on the roads – the good news is that calls from concerned motorists are helping us get these drivers off the road,” says Staff Sergeant Barry Maron, of EPS Traffic Section.
Staff Sergeant Maron adds, “We received a call from a citizen about a cube van that had been involved in a hit and run collision with a parked vehicle and a height barrier at a west-end mall. The van sped away, lost its load of furniture and other items on the road, and narrowly missed a pedestrian in a school zone. Police caught up with the van, and arrested and charged the driver with impaired driving and other offences.”
During the month of April 2012, there were 564 calls from the public to report suspected impaired drivers. Those calls resulted in 227 intercepts, 60 impaired charges, 16 24-hour suspensions, and 28 letters sent to the registered vehicle owners because police could not intercept the vehicle. So far in 2012, there have been a total of 2,219 calls, 851 intercepts, 223 impaired charges, 57 24-hour suspensions, and 118 letters sent to the registered vehicle owners.
Impaired drivers can be recognized by their erratic driving behaviour:
-
Speeding up or slowing down unexpectedly, swerving, changing lanes frequently, or driving on one side of the lane or the other.
-
Ignoring traffic signals, sitting at stop signs for extended periods of time, stopping or starting suddenly.
-
Driving without due care and caution, or oblivious to weather or road conditions. (Driving without headlights at night, speeding on icy roads, riding around with windows open during a rainstorm.)
If you suspect a driver is impaired:
-
Call 911 if it is safe to do so. Calling 911 in an emergency, or to report an impaired driver, is permitted while driving under the distracted driving law
-
Report the location, vehicle description, and license plate number.
-
If possible, keep the vehicle in sight but do not attempt to chase the vehicle, or break the law to do so.
Curb the Danger, Target all Drunk Drivers, and Checkstop, are all part of the Edmonton Police Service’s impaired driving enforcement efforts to make the streets safe for the public. For more information, the please visit www.edmontonpolice.ca
Category: Edmonton
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
