MADD urging callers through Campaign 911
Innisfil Scope
June 18, 2008

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada) wants Canadians to know that we can all make a difference in keeping our roads safe and in reducing impaired driving crashes.

The organization is asking everyone to call 911 to report suspected impaired drivers.

MADD Canada recently launched its 2008 Campaign 911, a public awareness appeal to encourage and empower the Canadian public to call 911 and report suspected impaired drivers. The organization is working in cooperation with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, Canadian Police Association and Canadian Association of Police Boards, as well as police and community leaders from across the country.

"Calling 911 is an effective way Canadians can help the police in getting impaired drivers off the road before any harm is done," says Margaret Miller, MADD Canada's national president. "We urge Canadians to take the important step of making that call. By removing more impaired drivers from the road, we will see reductions in impaired driving crashes, deaths and injuries.

"We hope more Canadians will know what to do the next time they see an impaired driver on the road. In this past year, we have seen many incidents where impaired drivers have been apprehended by police as a result of a concerned citizen's call and, in these cases, thankfully, a crash had been avoided and nobody was hurt."

Michael Sachter, vice president of marketing for CellWand Communications, the creator of the easiest way to get a taxi in Canada by calling #8-2-9-4, says, "Campaign 911 is another vital MADD Canada initiative to prevent impaired driving tragedies. It's every Canadian's duty to call 911 if they suspect someone is driving impaired and assist the police in their efforts to keep our streets safe."

More than 100 local MADD Canada chapters across the country will be part of the Campaign 911 effort, erecting signs, bus shelter posters and billboards, and spreading the message at public events and with public service announcements.

Miller says the organization worked closely with the police on the safety issues surrounding this campaign.

"The safety of motorists is a key consideration, please pull over to use your cell phone and do not try to apprehend suspected impaired drivers yourself. Please keep your safety in mind when making the 911 call," she said.

The public can learn more about Campaign 911 on the MADD Canada website, www.madd.ca. There are a number of media reports and instructive 911 background pieces on the website.

Also see...

MADD Canada's Campaign 911