Rid Roads of Impaired Drivers

The BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation is honouring 26 police officers from Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley for their diligence in removing impaired drivers from the roads of our communities.

These officers will become part of Alexa’s Team in remembrance of Alexa Middelaer who lost her life at age four and a half after being run down by a vehicle driven by an individual suspected of being impaired at the time.

Alexa’s Team is made up of members of the RCMP and Municipal Police Departments in the region who have, in the previous year, forwarded to Crown a total of 399 full impaired driving charges in addition to issuing 1,328 24-Hour Prohibitions and Administrative Driving Prohibitions under Section 215 of the Motor Vehicle Act.

On May 17, 2008 at approximately 5:00 p.m. a northbound vehicle traveling in the 4300 block of 64th Street in Delta lost control and left road, struck a parked car and careened into two pedestrians and a horse. On that day, four-year-old Alexa Renée Middelaer died after being hit by that car. Her grandparents sustained emotional shock and injury, and her aunt who was standing with her by the side of the horse paddock is recovering from life threatening injuries.

A 56-year old Delta woman has been charged with impaired driving causing bodily harm and death, and two charges of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and death.

“Our family had very high expectations of the police, and those expectations have been met with due diligence and charges being laid,” stated Laurel Middelaer, the mother of four-year old Alexa. “We appreciate the just approach and commitment displayed by those members that were involved in the investigation.”

“I am personally very pleased and impressed with this work that members of the Lower Mainland police are doing to charge impaired drivers with full criminal code charges” stated Allan Lamb, executive director of the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation. “The death of Alexa Middelaer and many others are not accidents. Those deaths and injuries are the result of negligent behaviour.”

“Knowing that 80% of impaired drivers come from private functions where others should have known their friend or family member was about to drive impaired should send a message to all of us that we can and must stop this carnage” added Lamb who emphasizes that responsibility is the issue.

Acknowledging the recent rash of gang violence, Lamb also noted that four times as many people die in traffic crashes than as a result of all homicides and murders, thus the need to have police working on this front as well. Lamb cited Transport Canada statistics that show impaired drivers cost the B.C. economy $1.6 billion per year, not including the cost of police, ambulance or courts.

The BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation is proud to recognize these officers for their exceptional work on the impaired driving front.

Alexa's Team