Double the number of impaired drivers
Mother of teen killed in drunk driving crash frustrated by increase in impaired charges
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Monday, May 29, 2017
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
A Fort Simpson woman whose daughter died in a drunk driving crash in 2008 is "shocked and alarmed" after RCMP reported impaired driving charges were on the rise following National Road Safety Week.
RCMP look for infractions at a checkstop near Yellowknife on Saturday, May 20. Police laid 11 impaired driving charges after stopping 1,800 vehicles during National Road Safety Week, more than double the usual number. - James O'Connor/NNSL photo |
Sharon Allen, who heads up Fort Simpson's chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), lost her daughter Keisha Trudel when the car she was a passenger in struck a tree near Fort Smith. The car was being operated by an impaired driver, said Allen.
She has a not so subtle warning for people who continue to drive drunk.
"This has impacted my life forever. I live with the daily knowledge that I will never see my daughter again," said Allen. "I'm still dealing with it today. I had to take time off from work. I've had a really tough time with the loss of my daughter. It's a hard reality - hard to swallow."
Allen was reacting to a report from RCMP announcing 11 people had been charged with impaired driving during National Road Safety Week from May 15 to 22, which includes the Victoria Day long weekend. The RCMP say the average over the past several years has been five people charged with the offence.
Among those charged was Joshua Moore, 29, who faces a slew of charges, including impaired driving causing death in a vehicle accident May 21 on Highway 4 near Yellowknife that killed Karen Lafferty, 30, originally from Behchoko.
The crash, which involved a vehicle leaving the road entering a pond, sent all five occupants to hospital. One of them was medevaced to Edmonton. That person's condition has not been released. Moore remains in custody. He was to have been in court on May 26 but court heard he was at hospital in Yellowknife for surgery on his arm, which was injured during the crash.
Allen said she cannot understand why, even with an increase in media campaigns in the territory warning against drinking and driving, that people would continue to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.
"It's an alarming number. I am shocked because ever since I started with MADD in 2013 we have more awareness about drunk driving than we previously had," said Allen.
"Since we have had increased media campaigns I've noticed more people have been reporting impaired drivers."
Allen said it can be a challenge to keep drunk drivers off the roads in the territory's smaller communities where there are no taxi cabs. But she said that is no excuse.
"It makes no sense at all. Every weekend people are going out and having a few drinks over a few hours and then driving home," she said. "I offer to be a designated driver. I think I've saved a few lives."
RCMP say they are also very concerned about the increase. The Mounties stopped 1,800 vehicles in across the territory during the week-long checkstop campaign, according to Hay River-based Cpl. Todd Scaplen, with the NWT RCMP traffic division.
"It is very discouraging and disheartening to see the numbers from this year's campaign," Scaplen stated by e-mail.
"There are people who are still not getting the message that impaired driving is not acceptable, is preventable and can end tragically. If you operate a motor vehicle while under the influence, it is like rolling the dice and eventually your number will come up. You will either be charged or worse."
Scaplen said situations where a person drives drunk can be avoided by simply planning ahead.
"If people are going to go out and celebrate ... Then go ahead and celebrate. Make sure you have a designated driver or call a taxi," Scaplen said.
"Most of our communities are very tiny. It's five minutes from one side of town to the other. It's not worth your life or somebody else's to risk."
Scaplen added an impaired charge was laid on another driver in Yellowknife the morning before the May 21 crash. He added for the most part, motorists did not seem to mind waiting in a lineup of vehicles for police.
In addition to the impaired charges, there more more than 100 infractions under the Motor Vehicle Act. They included not wearing a seat belt, speeding and distracted driving.
Justice Minister Louis Sebert was also concerned with the numbers.
"It's disappointing to see that residents, despite all the public education campaigns and information available on the dangers of drunk driving, continue to get behind the wheel," Sebert told News/North by e-mail. "Impaired driving is not acceptable. We need to be more vigilant to prevent our friends, family members, co-workers and even complete strangers from getting behind the wheel (while impaired)."
