The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Submitted by Creighton RCMP December is a month of celebration. Family and friends come together from all over the country, whether in person, by phone or by Internet. We join together to be thankful for another year and we remember our successes and our failures from the passing year. We make resolutions to avoid future mistakes and to make for a better New Year. For some of us these resolutions might include a better diet, exercise, financial considerations, or simply to be nicer to our fellow citizens. From a policing perspective, the month of December is a busy one. The Creighton RCMP will be stepping up enforcement focusing on impaired driving and other driving offences. There are often many Christmas parties throughout the season which include the consumption of alcohol, and community safety is a priority. Families should feel as safe as possible while driving, especially since they already have to contest with possible poor weather and road conditions. There are a number of services available to assist intoxicated persons in getting home, rather than risking an impaired driving conviction or worse. Programs such as Operation Red Nose are in effect to assist motorists in getting both themselves and their vehicles home safely. Taxi cabs are always available and at maybe $20 a ride they are far less costly than lawyer fees or a human life. Finally, responsible designated drivers, who can be trusted to simply not drink at all, are a good alternative to driving after drinking. Society has changed a great deal in a few short decades. Many years ago impaired driving was not considered as serious an offence as in recent years. This is reflected in the changing legislation which is cracking down on alcohol related driving offences. Surprising fact Surprisingly there are as many younger impaired drivers as from older generations, despite the change in societal values and the ever increasing media attention regarding the dangers and consequences of impaired driving. Many police officers go to great efforts to investigate impaired driving. Every impaired driver taken off the street is one less hazard posed to the community. Whether the driver was only a little bit over the limit or by a great amount, if he or she was legally drunk on the one occasion police 'catch' the driver then it is likely they have driven drunk before, or would do so again later. Quite often the offender complains to police that he or she was the least drunk of their friends and had only been looking out for their safety. With this in mind please be careful who is chosen to be the safe and legal driver. Please start each celebration with a plan for a safe ride home. Don't let friends drink and drive. In many ways not doing so is an act of selfishness, in that drinking and driving is an unnecessary and easily preventable risk, one that affects the entire community. This holiday season give the gift of safer roads for Creighton, Flin Flon, and Denare Beach. Simply don't mix your keys with liquor.
