Chatham-Kent OPP and Mothers Against Drunk Driving want to make sure that everyone gets home safely after holiday celebrations.
The 2016 Festive RIDE Campaign was launched yesterday, and Constable Doug Cowell says RIDE programs have already started across Chatham-Kent.
“We concentrate on workplace Christmas parties and those kinds of things, and it’ll usually quiet down a little bit and then pick up again for the Super Bowl,” Cowell says. “Any time of day, it could be in the afternoon or at night because a lot of times you see that usual night time thing, but people do have their Christmas parties on Saturdays or Sundays, so you could run into those RIDE programs on a Saturday afternoon.”
And Cowell says it’s not just drunk drivers they’re keeping an eye out for.
“More accidents are caused because of cellphone use and texting than we do involving alcohol. Anything goes when a RIDE program is set up, whether it’s cellphone use or seat belt wear, it all comes into play.”
Services like taxis or Home James are available for those who need a ride home over the holiday season.
The Festive RIDE campaign runs now through January 7th.