Police concerned about higher number of drunk drivers

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – More drunk driver’s busted this past weekend compared to last year at the same time.  It was the launch of the Vancouver Police Department‘s Counter Attack campaign and it resulted in a bust of 60 impaired drivers on Friday and Saturday night alone.  Last year the same weekend saw 45 nabbed.

Cst. Brian Montague says in just two nights, the officers tested 298 people. “18 received immediate roadside suspensions– an IRP (Immediate Roadside Prohibition) FAIL, 21 received an IRP WARN, 10 received 24-hour prohibitions, and three received 24-hour prohibitions for impairment by drugs.”

He says those numbers are only for road block crews and doesn’t include traffic or patrol members that were also out.

Montague says it’s concerning because the numbers are up and because 13 of the people busted were new drivers. “They’re supposed to have zero alcohol in their blood.  Not only did they have alcohol in their system, they blew at least a WARN, they blew at least 60 milligrams of alcohol in their system.”

Montague stresses that it’s a completely preventable offence, “the last thing we want to do is have one of these people get into an accident and seriously injure or kill somebody on the roads.”

He says police hear excuse after excuse, often relating to a cab being too expensive. “I can tell you that a 90 day driving prohibition and a 30 day impound of your car is much more expensive than taking a cab.”

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