Impaired-driving CounterAttack campaign nabs ‘far too many’ for comfort: Victoria police
A female driver unlicensed for 13 years and a new driver who had consumed alcohol were among those nabbed by Victoria police during the first CounterAttack campaign of the summer.
Three drivers sanctioned for having consumed alcohol Thursday night are in addition to 19 drivers impaired by drugs or alcohol pulled over in Victoria and Esquimalt from July 1 to July 10.
“That number is far too many, for my comfort, driving on the same roads,” said Victoria police Const. Matt Rutherford.
Victoria police officers turned the northbound lanes of Blanshard Street — between Bay and Pembroke streets — into a parking lot as they checked for impaired drivers, motorists without licences or insurance, and faulty vehicles.
More than 1,300 drivers and vehicles were checked between 7:15 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
Of the three motorists detected to have consumed alcohol, two were given threeday suspensions.
A third male, a new driver who, by law, is not allowed to consume any alcohol before driving, was given an immediate 12-hour suspension, ticketed, and will have his licence reviewed by the superintendent of motor vehicles.
“That can set a new driver back in licensing and their legal ability to drive significantly,” said Victoria police civilian spokesman Bowen Osoko.
Impairment is one of the top contributing factors for fatal car crashes, according to ICBC.
Before CounterAttack programs in B.C., there were 330 people dying each year in crashes due to impaired driving. That number is now 65, said ICBC spokeswoman Colleen Woodger.
“It’s a great improvement, but it’s still unacceptable. We’re still seeing impaired driving as a leading criminal cause of death in Canada and it’s still one of the top contributing factors of fatality crashes . . . there’s still a lot of work to be done.”
ICBC supports enhanced enforcement initiatives through a funding agreement with the Ministry of Public Safety and the Solicitor General.
In 2017-18, ICBC invested about $22.1 million in enhanced enforcement such as CounterAttack, distracted driving, speed enforcement and seatbelt checks.
The female driver who had been driving without a licence for 13 years had her vehicle, which had mechanical issues, towed and impounded.
“It’s not just impaired drivers we’re getting off the road. It’s a gamut of issues,” said Rutherford. “We are here just to make sure our roads are safer.”
In addition, police found 18 violations, including drivers without a licence or insurance. The owners of five vehicles were told their automobiles had to be fixed before they could return to the road.
Police in Victoria and Esquimalt and throughout the Captial Region will stage CounterAttack road checks throughout the rest of the summer during peak days and hours.
More than half of impaired-driving crashes occur on weekends — Friday, Saturday and Sunday — and 39 per cent of all impaired-related crashes occur between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m., Woodger said.
Male drivers account for 69 per cent of impaired driving crashes, she said.