BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
Almost 20 years ago a ?fifty-something? year old man spent his afternoon drinking alcohol and ice fishing.
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Ron Roy, president of Action Sudbury, ties a red ribbon to promote this year?s anti-drunk driving campaign. |
While driving home he crashed into a car driven by Bill Ryan, injuring him and killing his 11-year-old son Corey.
The boy had his young life taken away because of one foolish decision made by a drunk driver. Corey was a hockey player, musically talented and smart. He would be in his early thirties right now and who knows what kind of a difference a man like Corey could have made, if given the chance.
Out of this tragic accident Action Sudbury was formed to eliminate these senseless tragedies. Friday marked the kick-off to Action Sudbury?s 15th Annual Red Ribbon Campaign.
The campaign is designed to get Canadians committed to driving safe and sober. The organization?s impact lies in a piece of red ribbon, tied around the radio antenna of vehicles.
Through this fabric, Action Sudbury wants to show respect for the thousands of Canadians who have lost their lives or who have been injured due to alcohol-related crashes and remind people to drive sober through the holidays and throughout the year.
Ron Roy, president of Action Sudbury, knows the campaign is doing its job.
?We?re about awareness,? said Roy. ?It?s hard to measure just how much we?re doing, but if we were not around, how much worse would it be??
A disturbing trend is the fact drinking and driving offenses as a whole in Canada has declined for the last 20 years, but in Sudbury, impaired driving offenses have increased over the same time period. Thom Fitzgerald, Director of Crown Attorneys for the Northeast Region, wants to see this number decrease.
?Drinking and driving remains the scourge of Canadian communities,? said Fitzgerald. ?Impaired driving throughout Canada has been in the decline for 20 years, but not in Sudbury. It?s increased. We?re not getting the message out.?
Fitzgerald believes the key lies in sending a clear message impaired driving is simply no longer socially acceptable or tolerated.
?We need to inform people more that drinking and driving is a crime,? said Fitzgerald. ?They need to know it will be prosecuted vigorously by the court. Drivers have to know that they not only will lose their driver?s license, but they can kill somebody or a loved one. Surely that should be enough of a deterrent to stop people from drinking and driving.?
Gene Toffoli, an inspector with the Greater Sudbury Police Service, has reassured citizens of Sudbury police will be out in full force during the holidays and they will be making it a point to nail as many drunk drivers as possible.
?Drinking and driving is based on an individual choice,? said Toffoli. ?It?s a choice that can change their life and the lives of others forever.
?This year we will continue to be vigilant. There will be spot checks, police presence and zero tolerance enforcement. Every effort must be made to reduce this criminal offense.?
Along with Greater Sudbury Police, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) will also be out in full force looking to take impaired drivers off highways in the Northeastern region as they kicked off their five-week ride program last week.
?Our goal this year is to check over 100,000 vehicles,? said Staff Sgt. Jack Gibbs, OPP Detachment Commander.
?We have to remove drunk drivers from our highways because these are the same highways our families drive on.?
