Impaired driving at an all time high

More Canadians are dying from drug-related motor vehicle crashes than alcohol.

Crashes involving drugs caused 618 deaths and car crashes involving individuals who were positive for alcohol caused 299 deaths in 2014. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving statistics, drug-related crashes has now doubled alcohol-related crashes.

According to MADD, there is a growing issue where driving after drug-use is increasing. Cannabis is the most commonly-found drug and it is presented in almost half the drug-positive fatal crashes.

“We have many programs and campaigns that we’ve enacted,” said Chaouki Hamka, the community leader for MADD Windsor and Essex-County. “For example, what we have currently running is our project Red Ribbon Campaign from Nov. 1 to Jan.6, which encourages and empowers the public to make better decisions by driving safe and sober all year round.”

Hamka said MADD is working within the technology field to better understand certain impairments, especially when it comes to cannabis.

“Our main goal is to prevent impaired driving deaths and injuries on roads. The ultimate goal would be to eliminate impaired driving as a whole,” said Hamka.

Const. Talya Natyshak, is the Windsor Police Corporate Communications, who is working with different programs to decrease impaired driving.

“The Windsor Police are always involved not only with our community partners such as MADD, but we are always out trying to educate the public on topics such as impaired driving, whether it be drugs or alcohol, or a combination of both,” said Const. Natyshak.

Const. Natyshak said throughout the year the Windsor Police do RIDE programs to help keep the roads safe during the holidays. The Windsor Police are effectively working together with MADD to create safe roads for everyone.

If anyone has suspicions of an impaired driver, pull over to safely report the incident to the police by dialing 9-1-1.