168 Manitobans were charged with drinking and driving during the 2008-2009 holiday check stop program. Collision analyst Sergeant Wayne Blackmore says although Manitoba saw an increase of almost double the number of impaired drivers, RCMP are not surprised. He says that’s because they did over 600 check stops compared to fewer than 400 last year. The four week program ended Friday. RCMP set up 613 check stops, stopping more than 20,000 vehicles, nearly double than last years total. The 168 drinking and driving offenses are up from 92 during the same period a year ago. There were sixty seven 24 hour suspensions handed out. Police say six people were killed in five separate motor vehicle accidents last month and 217 people were penalized for failing to wear a seatbelt.
Do people just not learn? Do they not care about themselves and others on the road?? What is it going to take to get people to wake up and realize that drinking and driving KILLS?!?!?!? This was only 4 weeks so it just makes me wonder how many people must be drinking and driving all year round. It’s scary!!
Us Girls..Our Views 
See, this is why I’m ambivalent about alcohol. I know it’s no problem and even healthy when used in moderation. But don’t we all know people who never know when it’s time to stop? They insist that they are not impaired at all, no matter how much you try to convince them otherwise. I don’t know what can be done about it. I do think a much more serious punishment for first-time offenses would make a difference. They tried that here for a while, but now all you have to do is go to a lawyer and you’ll get out of it. Some person is now driving around my area with dozens of DUIs. Maybe the judges should be punished too if they don’t give the minimum sentences and people continue to drive drunk.
Once you understand the “It’s all about me” syndrome this selfish (I want what I want) behavior is easy to understand.
From these statistics, it looks that (percentage wise) the number of impared drivers actually went down.
The sad part is is doesn’t matter what time of day it is. There are drunk drivers on the rode at any given time of the day.
I tend to agree with SKL. I would make it tougher on those “caught” and also that it’s always the same people and when they are “impaired,” they don’t see that they are. They think they are “just fine” to drive. It’s almost like drunk people turn into someone else. What else has always bothered me is that it’s always the same people drinking and driving and they never get caught. Then you know someone who just went to dinner with friends, had a fancy drink and gets one. That person never drinks. What’s that old saying “life isn’t fair.”
It does boggle the mind.
I don’t get it and it just gets under my skin! I have no tolerance for it. It’s so selfish!
Ha, this reminds me of what happened to a friend of mine. She had never drunk alcohol in her life. She was not drinking that day either. But she is a speed demon, so a cop stopped her. Another person in the car had been drinking beer and the cop smelled it. He insisted on testing my friend for drunk driving. She was so floored, she was laughing her butt off and screwed up the sobriety test. She also had to try several times to blow into whatever it is they make you blow into to test your alcohol content – because she was laughing and doesn’t have that much lung capacity in the first place. Finally the test was done successfully and proved that she hadn’t had a drop. Oh, I would have paid to have been there that day!
Not even going to begin quoting SA stats – people who drink and drive, well they deserve what ever comes their way
This is a very sensitive subject for me. I have personally lost friends and family due to drunk drivers. PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE IT IS FINE IF THEY WANT TO DRINK AT A PARTY, BUT HAVE SOMEONE ELSE DRIVE YOU HOME..OR TAKE A TAXI! NO ONE IS TELLING THEM NOT TO DRINK, JUST NOT TO DRIVE AFTER THEY DRINK! They need to get with the program!
I guess I should add that this “subject” is a bit touchey for me too.
You see our new daughter (Lindsay) in my “Adoption Update” post? Well when her biological mother was pregnant with her she got drunk, ran over a pedesterian, killed him and was subsequently convicted of vehicular homicide. Our little Lindsay was born in prison! What a nice birth certificate huh? Not to mention a nice place to start your life!
Bio-mom gets out of prison gets with bio-dad, they have our little boy and HE’s born addicted to drugs. Not a bit deal though ’cause their just little human beings.
Two years later when Porter is two and Lindsay is four bio-mom GETS CAUGHT DRIVING AROUND TOWN DRUNK WITH THE KIDS IN THE CAR!!!
WTH!! SHE’S ALREADY KILLED ONE PERSON!!!!
That was in May of ’06 and we’ve had the kids since.
I’m so sorry what happened to those kids mssc. I truly am. What a sad start to life. On the other hand, I’m selfishly grateful that you and Mrs. C have them now.