Programs targeting drunk drivers exist

Thank you for the July 12 editorial “Going after bars is not a magic solution.” I’d like to address a couple of points.

First, you suggest an “updated, intensive education campaign for those serving liquor.” SLGA has been working with bars to strengthen the Serve it Right Saskatchewan program since 2015. Many establishments actively use these principles to make sure patrons make it home safely.

Second, you suggest a Crime Stoppers-type program to target impaired drivers. Saskatchewan already has one — Report Impaired Drivers, which encourages everyone to call 911 if someone is about to drive impaired or they suspect someone is driving impaired. About 4,500 people call it every year.

I think we’re all clear that Saskatchewan has an impaired driving problem. It’s also clear too many residents won’t accept that it’s not OK to drive impaired. A large number of people and organizations, including SGI, have been working to change this for years. And yet this province is still one of the worst in Canada for impaired driving. Unfortunately, the terrible loss last year of the Van de Vorst family represents just four of more than 600 lives ended over the past 10 years.

We are actively working on new ways to do something about this, and the lawsuit SGI launched for contributory negligence against the bars who served Catherine McKay is just the latest example. I hope that action has people thinking differently about taking action. It won’t be the entire solution, but we hope it is part of the solution.

At the end of the day, SGI cannot solve this problem, nor can any one organization. Individuals will solve it by realizing it is never OK to drive impaired, and it’s never OK to let someone drive impaired. Thanks for your work to encourage this to happen. Earl G. Cameron, executive vice-president, Auto Fund, SGI