Speaking out on impaired
Supplied image to YorkRegion.com
York Regional Police Staff Sgt. Dave Mitchell, holds up an #Imthatperson sign as part of the service’s public safety campaign that encourages people to speak up if they suspect someone they know is about to drive impaired. Officers say the number of impaired charges laid recently has been ‘frustrating’.
York Regional Police Insp. Dave Riches doesn’t know what else the police can do. It seems like there are at least 10 drivers caught for impaired driving every weekend now in York Region.
Family Day weekend was no different, except for the fact that the numbers were even higher — 13 drunk drivers caught according to police. That includes five in Vaughan, three in Markham, two in Newmarket, two in Richmond Hill and one in Georgina.
“We’re disappointed when we see the number every weekend and realize not everyone is getting the message,” he said, explaining six were caught Friday, six on Saturday and one Sunday night. “It’s frustrating after the high profile cases we’ve had in York Region over the past few years. People have seen the tragedy and the grief the families have to go through.”
However, Riches said it’s not only the sheer number of impaired drivers being caught, it’s also the state the motorists are in when they’re discovered by police.
On Sunday night in Markham a man was discovered driving while “more than three times over the legal limit”. When police looked into his background, Riches said he had several prior convictions for impaired driving.
In January a 39-year-old woman was found asleep at the wheel parked in front of a someone’s driveway in Vaughan.
And earlier this month a 22-year-old Markham woman was found slumped over the steering wheel in the middle of a major Markham intersection.
Source: YorkRegion.com