“I don’t know if people feel entitled or if they feel like this is something that only happens to other people, but none of us can escape this. It’s something that happens to all of us.” That’s the message Allison Tatham, whose father was killed by an impaired driver and has been president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Edmonton and Area Chapter for 12 years, wanted to share Wednesday morning. “Even if you’re choosing not to drive impaired, somebody else might be and you’re always at risk when you’re out on the road,” Tatham added. MADD Edmonton and Area Chapter officially launched its Crashed Car Campaign in Nisku today. The crashed car is meant to be a reminder for people that impaired driving is completely preventable while also representing the reality for families who had to suffer the consequences. Every day, four people are killed and 190 people are injured in impaired driving incidents. It’s a number that Tatham finds extremely frustrating especially after her own experience of losing her father and hearing other peoples’ recent stories. “The guy that killed my dad was actually sentenced to nine years in prison, which was the longest prison sentence ever handed down for a single death caused by an impaired driver ever in Canada, but he’d also had four previous impaired driving convictions,” said Tatham. Earlier this year, she met a family at a MADD conference whose brother was killed by an impaired driver last year. This impaired driver killed three young men who she believes were between the ages of 21 and 25. The woman who killed them was sentenced to two years in prison. “Two years total for taking three lives is like eight months for somebody’s life. It’s just crazy to me.” RCMP say the Alberta government has made some changes in eliminating court times with the provincial sanctions, which can make it quicker and easier for officers to deal with an impaired driver at roadside. However, one officer says this is a goal that everybody has to work towards including the public, police and all organizations aiming to prevent impaired driving. “We’ve had over 3,500 calls of impaired drivers with the Alberta RCMP issuing over 2,600 provincial or Criminal Code sanctions since January 1,” stated Sgt. Darrell Dickerson, RCMP’s K Division Traffic Services Coordinator. Impaired drivers get minimal or harsh penalties that vary whether it’s their first offence or if they’ve received several before. Dickerson said some drivers say they didn’t even know they were impaired. “We get individuals that we catch in the morning and they say they have had nothing to drink. However, when you ask them how much they drank the night before, they may say they were very drunk, so the alcohol is still in their system and they’re still impaired.” The Criminal Code for first offense drivers is $1,500 and they lose their licence for a year. When they get it back, they have to have the blow box in their vehicle. RCMP are also reminding drivers to be aware of mandatory alcohol screening, meaning any time you’re stopped, you can be asked for a breath sample. “There’s no requirement for the police officer to have a suspicion that you have been drinking.” The Crashed Car Campaign was organized to raise awareness and help reduce impaired driving in Edmonton and help the victims of this violent crime. The crashed car is located just off Highway 2 and the campaign runs until the beginning of September.
