Your actions could save a life.
That’s from the Prince George RCMP who are once again getting ready to roll out more enforcement in anticipation for the 2019 holiday season.
The public warning comes as the detachment continues to see a spike in collisions related to alcohol and drug impairment, including an investigation from Monday (Nov. 18) after a 38-year-old man and a child were sent to hospital after a pick-up crashed into their SUV.
The Foothills area incident resulted in non-life threatening injuries, but the driver of the pick-up was arrested for impaired driving.
As parties begin to pop-up in the city to celebrate the ‘most wonderful time of the year,’ Cpl. Craig Douglass says the public’s help is very important, especially if they call to report an impaired driver.
"We recognize that the majority of the driving public do not drive while impaired, however the small portion that do, put everyone on the road at risk," he said in a statement.
"We will be looking to remove those persons from the road to make roads safer for the rest of us."
If you see an intoxicated person get behind the wheel or see a vehicle being driven in a dangerous or erratic manner, you’re asked to call 9-1-1 immediately.
Mounties will also be increasing their efforts in targeting alcohol- and drug-impaired driving using tools such as Approved Screening Devices, Physical Coordination Testing, and a Drug Recognition Expert.
In addition, Operation Red Nose (ORN) will soon start its operations in Prince George.
The service says they already have 136 volunteers signed up and will have almost a dozen teams working the opening weekend of Nov. 29 and 30.
Spokesperson Andrea Johnson tells PrinceGeorgeMatters she hopes to get 300 total volunteers for the 2019 campaign and New Year’s Eve drivers are still wanted.
More information is available through ORN’s website.
