Alcohol and Driving Don’t Mix

In Canada, the long weekends of summer are usually joyous times filled with camping trips or outings to the cottage with family and friends. Often these weekends involve various summer activities like boating, barbecuing and campfires. And, since these weekends are a chance for people to unwind, most Canadians like to relax by having a few beers over the fire pit or enjoying a nice glass of wine while looking over the lake.

But these relaxing weekends can sometimes turn into absolute nightmares. It’s imperative to remember that when you drink, you shouldn’t drive. It doesn’t matter if you think you’re fine because you’ve only had one or two. Sadly, one or two drinks are enough to cause a major accident that could take your own life or the life of someone else. In 2005, out of the 3,226 fatalities involving motor vehicles it was estimated that 1,210 deaths involved impaired driving. And, the 1,210 is considered a conservative estimate because of the underreporting that happens from the inability to test surviving impaired drivers and reliance on police reports (Source: MADD Canada).

And, it’s not just motor vehicles that are than issue. Drinking while on the water is also a massive problem and has lead to many accidents and fatalities. There were at least 167 water related deaths involving alcohol in 2002. If we add both the motor vehicle accidents and water related deaths together, there are between 3.5-4.1 impaired fatalities every single day in Canada (Source: MADD Canada).

Enjoying yourself on your weekends off from work is fine, but driving while under the influence is not. Protect yourself and the lives of others by being responsible while drinking this summer. Assign a designated driver, or hide all car keys when partaking. If you go out on the water this season, make sure that you’re sober while you do it. Try and remember that it’s not just your life that you’re risking, but you’re also potentially risking the innocent lives of others who might also be out on the road or the water. It only takes a second to get in an accident, but it can change your life forever.

We invite you to view CAA’s other advocacy issues.

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