The lesson just isn't sinking in - and innocent people will ultimately pay the price.
We were shocked to hear about the
recent roadside checks in nearby Vancouver in which police nabbed 50 per cent more impaired drivers compared to the same weekend last year.
Perhaps the sunny weather that heralded the end of a long and rainy June sparked a bit too much celebrating. Or perhaps there are too many new drivers out there who haven't quite absorbed the responsibilities of being behind the wheel (a full 25 new drivers were nabbed during a roadblock that last year netted just one from the same licensing category.)
Or perhaps the news that impaired driving laws were changing left people scratching their heads wondering what they can and can't do (but, considering the limits haven't changed and only the penalties are more harsh, that doesn't quite add up either.)
We can only assume that people just don't care - or are too ignorant to worry about it.
With the long, hot summer ahead of us, and with it the usual assortment of outdoor events, public concerts, backyard barbecues and the like, we hope that people won't have such a hard time remembering the basics: don't drink and drive.
We can talk until we're blue in the face about legal limits and new penal-ties and fines and jail time but it all boils down to that one simple premise: if you're drinking, just don't get behind the wheel of a car.
Take responsibility for yourself, your friends, your family and for the motorists and pedestrians around you.
A cold beer at the end of a long day can be a great treat, but not if it comes with a price. Losing a license or paying thousands in fines may feel like a serious penalty, but it's nothing compared to being responsible for a life.
