With the holiday season in full swing, friends and family are getting together to enjoy all that comes with this time of year. For many people the festivities may involve a few alcoholic drinks or ingesting cannabis in some form. If you do plan to drink or enjoy legal drugs, MADD Canada CEO Steve Sullivan says it is important to always have a plan for a safe ride home. He adds, while the message of sober driving is important throughout the year, it is especially important during the holidays. “We know so many families who at this time of year particularly are feeling the loss of someone that they’ve loved,” says Sullivan. “There’s someone not there, or people who maybe used to go out and cut down a Christmas tree with their children, and now because they are living with serious injuries (as a result of impaired driving) can’t do that anymore because their life has changed so much.” Sullivan says there is no shortage of ways for a safe ride home, including identifying a designated sober driver, calling a cab or ordering a ride share service. The ride share program Uride, which offers services in Saint John, Fredericton, Moncton, and Charlottetown, is offering people two free rides up to $25 on Christmas Day. Those interested can email support@uridetech.com with the subject line “Free Christmas Rides” to be sent a promotion code. “Whether you’re partaking in alcohol, drugs, or a combination which is really dangerous, you still just need to make that plan and get home safely and make sure that everybody else gets home safely as well,” Sullivan says. During an impaired awareness campaign by Fredericton Police this past weekend 10 drivers were charged with impaired driving over the course of just 36 hours. Five of the 10 drivers were charged during the day Friday, reminding people that impaired driving can happen at any time. To date in 2025, Fredericton police have received 180 reports of impaired driving, resulting in 72 tickets being issues. A total of 24 drivers have been charged in December. Sullivan reminds drivers that impaired driving is not exclusive to the night of a gathering, but also the next morning. “Alcohol takes a long time to go through your system,” Sullivan reminds people. “You might have had a few hours sleep after a really good night of celebration, so you might still be impaired the next morning. That plan is still important to make sure you get to work or home or wherever you’re going safely the next morning.” For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
