Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Calgary and Area has kicked off its annual Project Red Ribbon campaign to help prevent people from drinking and driving during the holiday season. “It’s a reminder to drive sober, don’t get into a vehicle with an impaired driver,” said MADD Calgary and Area President Aaron Libby. “It’s just not worth the risk.” The chapter’s interim vice-president Nancy Collins spoke at the campaign kickoff on Monday about the importance of staying sober behind the wheel. She lost her husband, Bradley Lentz, on July 3, 2011 when he was killed by an impaired driver in Penticton. “Impaired driving kills and it’s within everybody’s control,” Collins said. “Our family was devasted by the loss.” Collins said the impaired driver in her husband’s case tried to drive away from the scene of the crime. “He was so impaired, the hood of his vehicle was over the windshield, and he couldn’t see where he was going,” Collins said. MADD is asking people to support the project by showing their commitment to sober driving by displaying a red ribbon or car decal on their vehicles, key chains, purses, briefcases and backpacks. “We’re all here for the common goal to stop impaired driving,” Libby said. Data from the Calgary Police Service shows there have been two fatal collisions involving intoxicated drivers from January this year through September. There were four such fatalities in the city in 2025, six in 2024, seven in both 2022 and 2023 and eight in 2021. “The numbers of criminal charges and the numbers of sanctioned are slightly down, (but) they really should be zero,” said Calgary Police Service Deputy Chief Cliff O’Brien. Calgary police say officers have issued 1,885 impaired immediate roadside sanctions from January through September. That figure was 2,399 in 2025, 2,290 in 2024, with 2,504 sanctions in 2023, 2,338 in 2022 and 1,680 in 2021. “Heading into the holiday season, our community can expect even more check stops,” O’Brien said. The campaign runs from Oct. 28 until Jan. 4.
