'Plan ahead': Police urge Calgarians to steer clear of impaired driving this New Year's
The Calgary Police Service is bolstering its checkstop program ahead of a busy holiday weekend.
Officers will be out in full force over the next few days to make sure impaired Calgarians don't get behind the wheel.
They're hoping New Year's celebrations don't leak onto city roads.
"The message is to plan ahead," said Aaron Bridge with the CPS traffic unit. "We'll be looking. Officers are always out there roaming around: it doesn't have to be a structured setup like a checkstop."
CPS data shows more than 500 people have died in Alberta because of impaired driving over the last decade.
Charges have also risen — largely thanks to new provincial rules — and the consequences for drunk driving can be strict.
"The punishments for getting a fail on the roadside is 30-day vehicle seizure, 90-day licence suspension, followed by the Interlock Program or another 12-month suspension after that," Bridge told CTV News. "It could cost you as much as $10,000 at the end of the day."
"Even if you are lucky enough to not hurt yourself or hurt somebody else, you still might face some serious consequences," MADD Canada CEO Steve Sullivan added. "It's just not worth the risk."
Party-goers are urged to plan ahead by finding accommodations or by pre-booking a ride home.
Night-of ride sharing programs and taxis are available and designated drivers are encouraged.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.