It's the time of year for holiday parties, and that means police are setting up roadside checkpoints, looking for impaired drivers.
Members of the Ottawa police, RCMP, OPP and Military police are out in full force as part of the Mega-RIDE program, sponsored by the Ottawa Insurance Brokers Association (OIBA).
Volunteers from the association join police at checkpoints to give gifts to sober drivers.
Drivers are urged not to drink and drive. Instead, they can call a cab, take public transit or appoint a designated driver for the evening.
Volunteers at Operation Red Nose are also available to drive people home who may need help to get home safely. Operation Red Nose is available by calling 613-820-NOSE (6673).
According to MADD Ottawa, between 1,250 and 1,500 people are killed every year and more than 63,000 are injured in impairment-related crashes. And young people are particularly at risk. About 45% of youth crash deaths are alcohol-related.
Ottawa Public Health is also reminding people to follow Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines when consuming alcohol over the holidays.
It is recommended that women have no more than two standard drinks most days and 10 drinks per week. For men, no more than three standard drinks most days and 15 drinks per week is recommended.
