In the News

Report-a-drunk program a success
Calgary Sun
By Jenna McMurray
March 30, 2010

Calgarians are MADD about dialing in drunk drivers.

A campaign launched by Mothers Against Drunk Driving in partnership with police, the city and Alberta Health Services, marked a 60% increase in the number of calls from Calgarians reporting suspected impaired drivers over five months compared with the same period a year earlier.

Between October of 2009 and last month, 2,365 calls came in following the fall launch of Campaign 911.

The same time frame for 2008-2009 saw only 1,484 calls come in.

“It’s hard to find words for it, I get emotional,” said Louise Knox, MADD’s chapter service manager, Western Region.

“To come out with 60%? It’s phenomenal.”

Knox’s 16-year-old son was killed by an impaired driver in 1999.

Both she and a second son have also been in crashes involving impaired drivers.

“To somebody like me, we know it’s going to be at least one less family out there who will get that knock on the door from police,” she said.

The number of people charged with impaired driving since the campaign was rolled out has also jumped about 17% compared to the same five-month time frame the previous year.

There were 130 people charged with impaired driving between October 2009 and last month, while 111 were charged in the same period during 2008-2009.

All of these charges were laid as a direct result of calls made by citizens, say police.

“It’s really gratifying to see how successful this campaign has been,” said Chief Rick Hanson.

“The only way we’re going to get these people off the road is to go after them aggressively.”

Though police can’t leave the scenes of serious ongoing incidents — such as assaults — to track down the suspected impaired drivers, every call is followed up on as soon as possible and information on vehicles in question is dispatched to all officers on duty.