Attentive Nanaimo RCMP officers will be staffing check points throughout the holiday season. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

CounterAttack

‘Quite impressive:’ strong compliance during initial impaired driving blitz in Nanaimo

Dec 8, 2022 | 4:20 PM

NANAIMO — Impaired driving was at a minimum when Nanaimo RCMP’s first winter CounterAttack check stop greeted drivers, and local police hope the trend continues.

Nanaimo Res. RCMP Cst. Gary O’Brien said very few of the roughly 400 motorists pulled over during the evening of Saturday, Dec. 3 were taken off the road.

“Our guys are looking, they’re talking to people either from the odour of booze or drugs. There was only three vehicles involved, so that was quite impressive.”

O’Brien said road blocks will be established throughout the month of December to educate motorists and take them off the road if necessary.

He said the vast majority of drivers seem to be getting the message: impaired driving is dangerous and not acceptable.

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“We’ve seen that culturally shift over the years, especially with the younger drivers where they are very proud of the fact they have a designated driver.”

O’Brien noted their general duty members are paying special attention to motorists this time of year to complement strategically placed check stops.

Cst. O’Brien said impaired driving check stops could materialize at multiple locations between Cedar and Lantzville.

“Drivers should expect that throughout the Christmas season — any given night road blocks will pop up.”

Impaired driving penalties in the province can include fines ranging between $600 and $4,000, driving suspensions, jail time and an ignition interlock in your vehicle.

On average, 11 of the 64 annual deaths related to impaired driving in B.C. occur on Vancouver Island, according to ICBC data.

Road blocks, like this one in 2021 on Uplands Dr., will pop up in a variety of different locations throughout the holiday season (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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