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RCMP target impaired drivers during Counter Attack operations

The month long initiative aimed at removing impaired drivers from roadways begins Saturday
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The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP will be taking impaired drivers off the road at an increased rate during its Counter Attack operations starting Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. (File photo)

National Impaired Driving Enforcement Day, Saturday, Dec. 2, will see police in Vernon doing just that.

The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP and BC Highway Patrol will be conducting their Counter Attack operations in support of the month-long initiative aimed at targeting and removing impaired drivers from the streets.

Getting together with friends and family this time of year to celebrate is something we all look forward to, said Const. Chris Terleski, RCMP media relations officer. Enjoy yourself and have a good time, but please do it responsibly. Impaired driving, whether by alcohol or other drugs, can have deadly consequences and there is zero tolerance for those who choose to put themselves and others at risk.

North Okanagan residents can expect to see an increased police presence on roadways in the upcoming month. Officers will conduct check stops, mandatory alcohol screening, standardized field sobriety tests and will use drug recognition experts to identify and target impaired drivers.

“Tragically, too many people are injured or killed in preventable alcohol and drug related collisions every year,” added Terleski. “Keeping our roads safe is a shared responsibility and it starts by making good choices before you get behind the wheel. If you are going to drink alcohol or consume cannabis, don’t drive and arrange in advance for a safe ride.”

For a comprehensive list of the penalties associated with impaired driving, click here.

If you suspect an impaired driver, call 911.

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Brendan Shykora

About the Author: Brendan Shykora

I started at the Morning Star as a carrier at the age of 8. In 2019 graduated from the Master of Journalism program at Carleton University.
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