Take it easy this Canada Day

Anyone over the age of 50 knows that it’s really called “Dominion Day”, but July 1 by any other name is still a sweet holiday. This year is extra special for the lucky few who can somehow take Friday off as well, and have a real long weekend. Whatever your situation, Canada’s Birthday is just around the corner, and 132 years is definitely a reason to celebrate with family and friends. It can also be a dangerous travel day, especially if your celebrations involve alcohol.

“The summer is the worst time of the year for impaired driving injuries and fatalities on the roads and waterways”, says Anne Leonard, Executive Director of the Ontario Community Council on Impaired Driving (OCCID). “We want people to plan ahead before they go out … our `Plan Ahead, Be a Designated Driver, Call Home, Take a Cab, or Stay Overnight’ messages are inspired by the reality that you can’t reverse the outcome of an alcohol collision. You can’t take it back.”

More than 500 people are killed in impaired driving collisions each year in Ontario alone.. While alcohol is a factor in only 3% of all collisions, it is a factor in almost half of all fatal collisions, especially on the water. In fact, at ast 50% of all boating fatalities are alcohol related. According to OCCID, the Ontario Provincial Police report 10 fatalities every long weekend of the summer.