Cost of impaired driving is very real in human terms

By now, most of us are familiar with Terri Calloway, the 37-year-old mother of four who was killed by alleged impaired driver Nov. 29. She was out for a jog near her home that night when the accused struck her, killing her instantly.

This is the real carnage of alcohol-related incidents. This is what can, and does happen, when you get behind the wheel after more than a couple of drinks. It's a horrible waste that will leave a void in many people's lives.

Calloway joins some 1,055 Canadians killed in accidents involving impaired drivers each year. As the festive season begins, it's vital that people get the message, but are they?

Despite the blatant, hitting-you-over-thehead reality associated with drinking and driving, the message may not be sinking in.

Perhaps more brain cells are being killed by the alcohol itself. In recent months in Caledon, incidents of impaired driving have not only risen, but escalated into much more serious crimes.

Drivers have fled from police, only to strike objects or slide into ditches. Some have become quite belligerent and even assaulted the arresting officer. Others were charged for having no licence, no permit and even having open liquor next to them. In our opinion, these acts aren't only stupid, they are a blatant slap in the face of the laws and show no regard for others on the road.

Fortunately, we haven't had an alcoholrelated fatality recently, and that's what we all aim to prevent.

The holiday Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) campaign uses spot checks and a highly visible police to not only apprehend offenders, but remind others of the potentially tragic consequences. Having your licence suspended for a short time, or even taken away for a year, is the least of your worries.

Killing a wife, mother, sister, daughter, father, brother, uncle or grandfather would be the ultimate horror.

While no one gets behind the wheel after a few drinks with the intention of hurting or killing someone, the fact is it's a very real outcome of such an act. The fact is, after several drinks, we're not capable of making sound judgements - our decisions are literally impaired by alcohol (or drugs).

If we all know this, there's no point in debating it, or trying to rationalize it. Those who drink need to get a ride home or be in the company of friends and a designated driver. It's that simple. Many establishments are more than happy to arrange for transportation and friends should never allow friends to drive while intoxicated.

And yet, the evidence, presented on the Caledon Citizen's 911 page each week, speaks volumes of an apparent lack of mental fitness in this regard.

Drivers recently charged with impaired driving in Caledon come from all walks of life - from 20-something males to mothers and seniors. All should know better. All likely regret their actions.

There's a reason the penalties for this Criminal Code offence can be so high - it causes a lot of damage, serious injuries and preventable deaths.

Many readers criticize the Citizen for its police reports on our 911 page, saying all who are charged aren't guilty until proven so in a court of law. Others complain that putting people's names in the paper who are charged for impaired is unethical and embarrassing. Well, the owners of this newspaper decided, many years ago, that this serves as a deterrent, and local OPP agree. If the possibility of having one's name in our paper prevents just one person from putting the key in the ignition, then the cause is well served.

We don't want to see another mother like Terri Calloway taken away from her family or her community. We don't want children to grow up without a parent, grandparent or sibling.

So, the onus is on all of us to do our part to curbing this behavior. As hosts, we are responsible for our guests. As co-workers, we should ensure our colleagues make it home safely. As friends, we should go out of our way to prevent a tragedy.

The festive season is about giving, compassion and goodwill. It's about joy, and the warmth created far away, more than 2,000 years ago.

It shouldn't be about funerals, wakes and visits to the cemetery.