34 - Wednesday, December 17, 1986 — Nurth Shore News

CHRISTMAS
COUNTERATTACK

| 22,000/ year charged
| with impaired driving

From page 33

‘People are finally realizing that
it is just not worth the hassle,”
says North Vancouver RCMP Cpl.
Ewen Freethy.

Drinking drivers convicted of
their first drinking and driving of-
fence now face an automatic 12-
month licence suspension, a fine of
up to $2,000, 10 penalty points on
their driving record and a possible
six-month jail sentence.

All impaired driving convictions
result in criminal records.

An estimated 22,000 people in
B.C. are charged with impaired
driving each year, 90 per cent of
whom are convicted. The average
jail term is 50 days.

Advice from local police and the
CounterAttack program on how to
avoid drinking and driving include
choosing a designated sober driver
before going to parties or celebra-
tions, taking taxis or buses.

% Alcohol-Retated

Casually Accidents, 8 C.

percent

J79

O % alcohol-related

ALCOHOL-RELATED accidents are- down over 300 per cent at
Christmas time since CounterAttack mounted its first Christmas Blitz in
1977. Active enforcement, public education and high profile media at-
tention have kept the trend fine on a downward stone. However, alcohol
continues to be the leading factor in road deaths caused by human condi-

tion.

A second conviction now carries
mandatory jail sentences of 14
days to six months.

A charge of impaired driving
causing bodily harm carries a max-
imum penalty of 10 years im-
prisonment. Impaired driving
causing death now carries a max-
imum 14-year jai] term.

Party hosts are urged to provide
non-alcoholic beverages und to en-
sure that guests driving home from
parties are not impaired.

Because 75 per cent of the dead
and injured in driniing driving ac-
cidents are passengers, pcople
should avoid accenting rides from
a drinking driver.

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