If your activities involve drinking, plan ahead for a safe ride home. Arrange a designated driver, call a taxi or friend, or take transit.
Don’t ruin the fun
Winter holiday get-togethers, summer barbeques, and cool cocktail parties throughout the year are great ways for people spend time together while enjoying alcohol responsibly.
Sadly, each year in B.C., 65 people die in crashes involving impaired driving. Almost half of those deaths happen during the summer, meanwhile other deaths happen during what should be joyous celebrations during the December holidays.
No matter what time of year, there are many options to get home safely if you’ve had a drink or two. So, whether it’s after work or play, make the smart choice. Remember, the best time to decide how to get home responsibly is before you start drinking.
Police across the province look for impaired drivers at CounterAttack roadchecks during summer and winter. ICBC supports enforcement activities such as roadchecks to help make our roads safer for everyone.
If you’re hosting an event
Will you be serving alcohol at an event you’re hosting, such as a wedding, reunion, or holiday party? You can order a free Special Event Permit Kit to encourage your guests to get home safely.
Your kit will include posters, tent cards for table tops, and non-alcoholic drink tickets.
The price of impaired driving
B.C. has the toughest drinking and driving laws in Canada. If you’re caught driving impaired, you could face these penalties:
You may also have to pay a Driver Risk Premium, on top of your insurance.
If you crash while driving impaired, you’re likely in breach of your insurance policy. That means you could be personally responsible for 100 per cent of the costs if you damage someone else’s property or injure them.
Plan ahead
Getting home safe is a shared responsibility. Take your turn being the designated driver – your friends and family will thank you. If no one is able to be a designated driver, there are still plenty of options for you to get home. Leave your car overnight and consider taking a taxi, transit, or calling a friend. During the winter holidays, Operation Red Nose can also help you get home.
When you drink and drive, you not only risk your life but those of others on the road. With so many options to get home safely, there is no excuse to drive while impaired.
