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Over the last few months we have asked individuals representative of Vancouver Island's population a few questions relating to impaired driving. We have compared the results to a similar survey done across Canada late last year by Millward, Brown & Goldfarb.
We asked if the respondents ever drove a vehicle while they thought they were over the legal limit in terms of blood alcohol content. 14% of the respondents said they had and this was response was evenly spit between males and females. This is comparable to the national average which was 12%.
When asked if the Vancouver Island residents personally knew anyone who has driven a vehicle when they thought the individual was over the legal limit a full 50% said that they had. Again the response was evenly split between males and females and was comparable to the national average. Where we greatly differed was in the number of people who tried to stop someone else from drinking and driving. 100% of the female respondents said they tried to stop others from drinking and driving, while only 83% of the males tried. Disturbingly, 17% of the males thought the individuals were over the legal limit but did not make any attempt to stop them from driving.This suggests that the proportion of males who are getting the anti-drinking and driving message is lower than the proportion of females or among those males getting the message only some are acting upon it. However, when the males did make the attempt to stop someone else from drinking and driving they were more successful than the females.
% of Vancouver Island Residents who Responded
|
|
Male |
Female |
| Drove a vehicle when they thought they were over the legal limit in terms of blood alcohol |
Yes - 14% No - 86% |
Yes - 14% No - 86% |
| Personally known anyone who has driven a vehicle when you thought they were over the legal limit in terms of their blood alcohol content |
Yes - 50% No - 50% |
Yes - 50% No - 50% |
| Did you attempt to stop them from drinking and driving |
Yes - 83% No - 17% |
Yes - 100% |
| Were you successful in stopping them from drinking and driving |
Yes - 67% No - 33% |
Yes - 50% No - 50% |
These results show that not everyone is getting the message about impaired driving. While the message of RRID and other groups is making a difference we clearly have a long way to go.
The rate of impaired driving incidents reported in B.C. increased 16% between 2000 and 2001 - the highest increase in Canada. On average, 200 people are killed and 6,000 are injured each year in B.C. in alcohol-related crashes. An estimated one in five drivers on the road after dark has been drinking, and one in 25 is over the legal limit.
Clearly, impaired driving remains a serious problem in B.C. and the Government recently told us they will very soon be taking steps to address this crime. We are expecting the Government to introduce what they are calling "more effective impaired driving laws". They should soon be issuing a discussion paper that will introduce a number of their ideas for change to B.C.'s impaired driving laws. This discussion paper is expected to begin a dialogue with the people of B.C. on impaired driving. The Government is anticipating introducing new impaired driving regulations and legislation in the next Session of Parliament.
RRID is hopeful that the Government will keep its commitment and we expect to see many of the suggestions that have been made by RRID, BCAA and MADD in the discussion paper that will soon be issued.RRID is prepared to participate in the discussion and work with the Government and other related groups to ensure that the new legislation is effective.
We trust that strong new penalties and preventative messages will send a forceful message that in B.C. impaired driving is a criminal act with serious consequences.We hope that this message will be heard by all and will help to make B.C.'s roads and highways among the safest in the world.
Joan Parsons
President
Rid Roads of Impaired Drivers