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25th
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I like to think that the human race is getting better with age. The longer we spend on this great green earth, the wiser we become, right? Right?!
Seems to not be the case, especially when it comes to driving while under the influence.
It still shocks me to hear how many accidents and deaths are caused by drinking and driving. Truly, it'sappalling . According to Statistics Canada, the number of impaired driving incidents has once again risen (for the fourth time in five years in 2011). With over 90,000 reports of impaired driving across Canada, I can't help but shake my head in wonder and, let's be honest, shame.
How are we still making decisions like that? We've all seen the commercials and heard the news stories. Taking a cab or delegating a designated driver (usually my domain) really isn't that hard to do, people!
According to Statistics Canada, the highest rates of police-reported impaired driving in Canada took place in the North West Territories, Saskatchewan and PEI in 2011. The Canadian provincial average was 262 reported cases (per 100,000 inhabitants) and the North West Territories tipped the scale at over 1,400 reports. Their bar industry must be lucrative.
On the flipside, Ontario boasted the lowest number of reports dipping way below the 200 mark.
Numbers aside, I'm still upset that people are getting behind the wheel inebriated. Come on. It's more than stupid. It's downright negligent. Consider this: When your blood alcohol level reaches 0.10% you increase your chances of having an accident by 51%.
What more can we do to keep drunk drivers off the road? I think I might actually agree with the idea of having a breathalyzer installed in your vehicle after you've been caught driving impaired. If you blow even an mg over zero, your car won't start. Too bad for you.
However, that doesn't stop all those who've never been caught to begin with and who keep thinking it's OK to get behind the wheel when they can barely put their jacket on properly. It's just not cool, not at all. It's not an accomplishment that you made it home in one piece. It's not a cool story to tell the next day, it's dangerous and it must stop.
Of course, if you want to play devil's advocate here, you could say that the increased numbers of reported incidents of drunk driving are due to the increase in roadside checks. What we don't know won't hurt us, right? Wrong.
All too often I've seen groups of partygoers piling into their vehicle at the end of the night, clearly all three-sheets to the wind, and I just want to run up to the driver, shake them and take away their keys. It's just not a smart situation.
So, please, next time you're out drinking consider calling a cab to get home or asking a friend to be a designated driver. Trust me, it's not that bad and you get to be the memory-keeper for the night (i.e., the one who tells everyone what they did the morning after).
Seems to not be the case, especially when it comes to driving while under the influence.
It still shocks me to hear how many accidents and deaths are caused by drinking and driving. Truly, it'sappalling . According to Statistics Canada, the number of impaired driving incidents has once again risen (for the fourth time in five years in 2011). With over 90,000 reports of impaired driving across Canada, I can't help but shake my head in wonder and, let's be honest, shame.
How are we still making decisions like that? We've all seen the commercials and heard the news stories. Taking a cab or delegating a designated driver (usually my domain) really isn't that hard to do, people!
According to Statistics Canada, the highest rates of police-reported impaired driving in Canada took place in the North West Territories, Saskatchewan and PEI in 2011. The Canadian provincial average was 262 reported cases (per 100,000 inhabitants) and the North West Territories tipped the scale at over 1,400 reports. Their bar industry must be lucrative.
On the flipside, Ontario boasted the lowest number of reports dipping way below the 200 mark.
Numbers aside, I'm still upset that people are getting behind the wheel inebriated. Come on. It's more than stupid. It's downright negligent. Consider this: When your blood alcohol level reaches 0.10% you increase your chances of having an accident by 51%.
What more can we do to keep drunk drivers off the road? I think I might actually agree with the idea of having a breathalyzer installed in your vehicle after you've been caught driving impaired. If you blow even an mg over zero, your car won't start. Too bad for you.
However, that doesn't stop all those who've never been caught to begin with and who keep thinking it's OK to get behind the wheel when they can barely put their jacket on properly. It's just not cool, not at all. It's not an accomplishment that you made it home in one piece. It's not a cool story to tell the next day, it's dangerous and it must stop.
Of course, if you want to play devil's advocate here, you could say that the increased numbers of reported incidents of drunk driving are due to the increase in roadside checks. What we don't know won't hurt us, right? Wrong.
All too often I've seen groups of partygoers piling into their vehicle at the end of the night, clearly all three-sheets to the wind, and I just want to run up to the driver, shake them and take away their keys. It's just not a smart situation.
So, please, next time you're out drinking consider calling a cab to get home or asking a friend to be a designated driver. Trust me, it's not that bad and you get to be the memory-keeper for the night (i.e., the one who tells everyone what they did the morning after).
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