IT IS SUMMER TIME – Time for family and friends to get together and many folks will visit their favorite patio for an after work drink. It is also the time of year which results in inexplicable carnage on our local roads and highways. This coming weekend, July 22-24, the Saanich Police and the Victoria Police have joined forces with the CRD Integrated Road Safety Unit and ICBC to conduct multiple “CounterAttack roadchecks” around Greater Victoria. This concentrated effort is designed to locate, identify, and charge impaired drivers and provide a notable reminder to motorists that drinking and driving is not tolerated. “Road Safety is critical for a safe community and we rely heavily on our community in our fight against impaired drivers”, said Sgt. John Price of the Saanich Police Traffic Safety Unit. Every day local police respond to complaints of possible impaired drivers – these calls are made by other road users who are concerned for road safety. On average 78 people die every year in B.C. and of those deaths 46% percent occur during the summer months. On average, 11 people are killed in crashes involving impaired driving on Vancouver Island every year. Most impaired-related crashes (59%) occur on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. For the love of your family and friends: don’t be a statistic this summer season. Local police officers encourage all parents of young drivers to spend a few moments with them prior to the weekend talking about the risks of drinking and driving and about the responsibilities around being a designated driver. In BC, we have made great strides toward road safety; however, impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal death in Canada and remains one of the top three contributing factors for fatal crashes in B.C The Saanich Police ask that if you are going to drink, to please plan ahead—use transit, call a cab or use a car service to get home safely – we thank you and we are sure your loved ones will thank you as well.