N. Shore police out in force

OTIVE

for annual CounterAttack

Year-end campaign takes drinking drivers off the road

THE WEST Vancouver
Police Department will be
setting up roadblocks all
across the North Shore
during this year’s Christmas
CounterAttack campaign
which runs from Saturday,
Dec. 4 to Monday, Jan. 3.

By Surj Rattan
News Reporter

“Our aim is to cut down on the
number of casualties incurred as a
result of drinking drivers by
removing drinking drivers from
the road,

“In 1991 alone, ‘alcohol-related
accidents claimed the lives of 180
British Columbians and injured
5,276 others,"’ said West Van-
couver Const. Jamie Gibson.

“It’s time drinking drivers put
their actions into perspective. If
you drink and drive, not only do
you jeopardize your life and the
lives of others, -you will lose your

‘ licence, face a large fine and
possibly end up in jail.
' “Have an accident and your
. insurance company tnay not cover
you,’’ added Gibson,

The West Vancouver Police and ©

the North Vancouver RCMP are
two of the police forces across the
province that will be targeting
drinking drivers during the
Christmas CounterAttack blitz.
Insurance Corp. of B.C. (ICBC)
‘spokesman Rick Hyde said that

4&4 CounterAttack has helped cut the

percentage of traffic accidents in
half (since 1977). 99

while drinking drivers are likely to
be responsible members of society,
rather than hardened criminals,
they become the focus of a
massive police operation the mo-
ment they decide to become a
drinking driver,

While the CounterAttack cam-
paign continues year-round in
B.C., it intensifies during the
Christmas CounterAttack blitz.

Hyde said that in 1991, the
most recent year for which
Statistics are available, 180 people
were killed and nearly 5,300 in-
jured in traffic accidents caused
by drinking drivers.

He added that repairing the
damage done in those accidents
cost the B.C. driver about 21
cents of every premium dollar
paid to ICBC.

‘Drinking drivers also cost the
provincial economy more than
$130 million each year for en-
forcement, court, medical and
other costs. One out of every five
people in B.C. jails is there for
drinking driving offences,’’ said
Hyde.

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tion in 1977, CounterAttack has
helped cut the percentage of traf-
fic accidents caused by drinking
drivers in half. That translates
into more than 10,000 people
saved from injury or death,
enough to populate a small town.

Hyde said hosts can be part of
the solution to drinking and driv-
ing by providing non-alcoholic
beverages or let them stay for the
night rather than driving home.

Friends can be part of the solu-
tion by making sure someone who
has been drinking does not drive.

“As a parent, talk about the
dangers of drinking and driving
with your children. Let them
know that your major concern is
that they get home safely with a
sober driver,’’ said Hyde.

According to provincial gov-
ernment statistics, drinking and
driving is the leading cause of
death on B.C. highways, con-
tributing to a third of. all traffic
fatalities in 1991.

Also in 1991, 31% of the people
killed in alcohol-related accidents
were passengers in the drinking
driver’s car.

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THE VOACT OF NORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER

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