Saturday, Dec. 6, is National Impaired Driving Enforcement Day, with law enforcement officers stepping up patrols and conducting road checks across B.C. all month long. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

arrive alive

Nanaimo police campaign cracking down on impaired holiday season drivers

Dec 4, 2025 | 4:16 PM

NANAIMO — Peace officers of all stripes will be out on B.C. highways this weekend in full force to crack down on impaired drivers.

National Impaired Driving Enforcement Day is Saturday, Dec. 6, with the BC Highway Patrol and RCMP launching the Light Up the Province enforcement campaign, looking for impaired and dangerous drivers through an increased presence and road checks.

RCMP Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien said it’s a busy time of year with lots of holiday parties on the schedule, and he encourages people to use common sense when ringing in the season.

“We’ll be out every night looking for one thing, and that’s impaired drivers. We’ll have police officers up and down the Island, they’ll be doing road checks throughout the evening looking for impaired drivers, and that will continue throughout the holidays.”

Impaired driving, whether by alcohol or drugs, continues to be one of the leading causes of death on B.C. highways.

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According to ICBC, 21 per cent of fatal crashes in the province involve impaired driving, equating to about 65 deaths per year.

O’Brien said while impaired drivers make up a small percentage of vehicles on the road, the carnage they cause is not acceptable, especially with so many options for a safe ride home.

“There are designated drivers, there are people who are waiting. There’s family members, there’s trusted friends who will pick up that phone or respond to a text message, and they will be there within minutes to get you home safely.”

Saturday’s campaign is the start of a concerted effort by their members to remove impaired drivers from the road in December, encouraging people to be responsible when celebrating the season.

Commercial trucks will also be checked for impaired drivers or vehicle violations on the Mainland.

Police also encourage anyone attending a holiday party to plan for a safe ride home, and party hosts are also asked to keep an eye on their guests so everyone gets home safely.

Supt. Mike Coyle with the BC Highway Patrol said checkstops will be in some new locations this year.

“We will be using Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS) along with more traditional tools to check sobriety, so no matter how much you’ve consumed, be prepared to blow into an Approved Screening Device.”

If you suspect a driver is impaired, pull over when it’s safe to do so, phone 911, and if possible, describe the vehicle and license plate to the best of your ability, and the last known direction of travel.

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