MADD wraps up annual Project Red Ribbon campaign
Anita Huchala, MADD president for Lethbridge and area, recognizes first responders and funeral personnel during the season wrap up of the annual Project Red Ribbon campaign Jan. 10 at Cornerstone Funeral Home.
With another holiday season in the books, so too has MADD’s (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) annual Project Red Ribbon come to a close. Marking the end of the organization’s largest and longest running campaign, representatives from MADD, along with members of the Lethbridge Police Service (LPS), Alberta Sheriffs, and other law enforcement gathered at Cornerstone Funeral Home on Wednesday to recognize the success of the campaign.
Sergeant Danny Lomness of the LPS Traffic Response Unit addressed attendees announcing that the 2023 campaign saw 277 impaired drivers removed from Lethbridge streets, a 10 per cent increase from the 251 charges laid in 2022. “These numbers serve as a reminder than impaired driving remains a significant concern, while also highlighting the effectiveness of our proactive enforcement strategies,” says Lomness, who described the increase as a “testament to our dedication and relentless efforts to combat impaired driving.”
While the number of apprehended impaired drivers did increase compared to 2022, Lomness explained that newly acquired drug screening technology and more officers undergoing enhanced drug impairment training is to thank.
“I believe the increase in those numbers is strictly based on strategies and tactics that we deployed this year that allows officers to cover more area as well as check more drivers more efficiently.” LPS plans to have more officers undergo the training in 2024.
Lomness said that while harder drugs are a main concern and can often have harsher effects, “people under the influence of marijuana are just as dangerous as somebody under a different drug if they’re impaired.”
However, alcohol remains the cause of the majority of impairment he sees. Quoting the MADD website, Lomness said “driving is a privilege not a right. Impaired crashes are not accidents but rather the direct result of an individual’s conscious decision to drive after drinking or using drugs,” adding, “I want to emphasize that the Lethbridge Police Service is fully committed to ensuring the safety of all road users by removing impaired drivers from our streets.”
MADD president for Lethbridge and area, Anita Huchala, spoke on behalf of her chapter to highlight some achievements of the 2023 Project Red Ribbon campaign, sharing that 4,500 red ribbons and 2,600 window clings with donation boxes were distributed throughout southern Alberta. Though they have yet to tally the donations, Huchala said donations will go towards funding support services, educational presentations, and awareness events.