MADD launches Red Ribbon Project to promote sober driving

The Calgary chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving kicked off its annual Red Ribbon Project on Wednesday to bring attention to the dangers and consequences of driving while impaired.

The grass-roots organization devotes its time and resources to stopping impaired driving and to offering support to victims and their family members.

The red ribbons symbolize a commitment to sober driving and also pay tribute to the thousands of Canadians who are killed or injured by impaired drivers every year.

So far this year, eight people have been killed in impaired driving related crashes in Calgary and police say they will continue to crack down on offenders.

“Every time that there’s a crash it reinforces the importance of being here and supporting the fact that drunk driving is just intolerable and one thing that I have tried to impress upon people is, for our officers, it’s not necessarily the crash that really devastates them, its having to deal with the loved ones afterwards so that really reinforces our resolve to continue on with this so it never gets old, it’s something that we will always be engaged in,” said CPS S/Sgt Paul Stacey.

Stacey says it is frustrating that people are still being killed by impaired drivers but that the numbers are declining.

“It’s absolutely frustrating. The good news is that since 2012 we’ve seen a steady decline in the amount of collisions involving impaired drivers but I’ll tell you as we’ve seen in the last couple, three weeks, we’ve had two crashes that have involved alcohol and the results have been absolutely devastating for the families, for the people involved in the crashes, there’s so many victims in these things and that really drives the point home,” he said.

Jillian Lavallee was killed in a crash on Macleod Trail in May of 2015 when the cab she was in was hit by a drunk driver who ran a red light.

Her parents, Karen and Dan, say their experience in the courtroom last week brought them out to the MADD Red Ribbon event on Wednesday.

“A great desire to try and make a difference and hopefully impact and educate some of the people in our society about what the laws are and what MADD’s doing for the community,” said Brenda Lavallee.

“It would be good if people were to understand the impacts, somehow personalize that, and not only not drink and drive themselves, but take responsibility for others in their social circles. If somebody’s going to drive and you know they shouldn’t, step up and ask them to give you the keys. Take responsibility as an individual for those around you,” said Dan Lavallee. “What I like is that MADD is looking to sponsor initiatives that are going to help the prevention of tragedies similar to what happened to us.”

Karen Harrison is the MADD Calgary Chapter President and her brother, Tony, was killed by an impaired driver in 2012.

“The tragedy of the loss of my brother was devastating to our family and to this day it still is, we still struggle with his loss and our message is, we don’t want somebody else to suffer the same kind of tragedy and devastation that we did. It’s something that you don’t ever get over and if we can just save one person from that loss or that devastation, that injury, then we will keep on doing it,” she said. “It does happen to you. It will happen to you and it will happen to somebody you love and the best thing that you can do is to stop impaired driving. Don’t do it yourself, don’t get in a vehicle with an impaired driver, report an impaired driver and if you love somebody that much, you will stop them from drinking and driving or drugging and driving.”

Police say they’ve seen a six percent reduction in the amount of impaired related collisions from 2012 to the end of 2015.

“All you have to do, it’s as simple as planning ahead. My message has always been, if you can afford the booze, you can afford a cab. You can afford a cab, you can afford to bring along a designated driver, pay for somebody to have a pop, if they can drive you home. There’s so many other ways around this, other than taking that chance because when you take the chance and it all goes wrong, it goes wrong,” said Stacey.

The campaign continues until January 2 and red ribbons can be ordered from MADD or from any Allstate Canada Insurance office.

Click HERE for more details.