Labatt hosted their second annual Be(er) Responsible Day last Friday, September 23 in an effort to prevent drinking and driving.
As part of Labatt’s “Better World” movement, the company wants to spread awareness and make positive change the student community. Labatt representatives were armed with iPads at Queen’s Park station to get students to take the pledge against drinking and driving.
“This international event, … held in more than 20 countries, is very relevant in spreading general awareness about an issue with very serious consequences,” said Briar Wells, event coordinator and senior account manager for Labatt.
According to MADD statistics, impaired driving claims between 1,350 and 1,600 lives in Canada each year. Of these incidents, approximately 45 per cent are youth related; furthermore, one in three people that die in an alcohol related crash are between the ages of 16 and 25.
These startling figures are all too familiar to the Toronto Police Service. To support the event, officers Smith, Higgins, and Stevenson were on the scene.
“Drinking and driving is a great concern in Toronto today, and it is especially problematic to people that have just reached the legal drinking age,” said Smith. “People need to realize that drinking and driving is considered criminal behaviour, just like any other serious crime such as robbery or using a weapon.”
The Toronto Police Service has initiated several impaired driving programs and campaigns. The RIDE (Reduced Impaired Driving Everywhere) enforcement campaign, launched in Etobicoke in 1977, involves random police spot checks in which vehicles are stopped and drivers are checked for impairment.
In cooperation with the Toronto Police Service efforts, Ontario has passed more stringent laws about drinking and driving. As of August 1, 2010, drivers who are novice or under 21 are prohibited from having any alcohol in their blood whatsoever. Offenders face an immediate 24-hour roadside driver’s license suspension and, if convicted, a fine of $60–$500 and a 30-day license suspension.
There are simple preventative measures that students can take to avoid serious drinking and driving incidents in the first place.
“Plan ahead; it’s easy to plan when you’re sober!” said Smith. “Be responsible and take public transit, taxis, or assign a designated driver. In the worst-case scenario, police officers are able to assist people that are too intoxicated,” the officer continued.
Even smartphone apps can help students stay safe. One example is the “Show Me My Buzz” app created by The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). It estimates the user’s level of intoxication based on information such as gender, weight, and beverages consumed.
Despite the less-than-cooperative weather and students rushing to make it to class on time, many took the time to make the Labatt pledge.
“I did it because it’s for a good cause,” says Yuen Man, pharmacy student at U of T. “While I was taking safety driving lessons, we were shown a video about drunk driving and it really frightened me. This could happen to anyone.”
