Don’t drink and drive: MADD out with warning ahead of NYE celebrations

As people prepare to ring in the New Year here in B.C., one organization is out with a stern message: don’t drink and drive.

While New Year’s Eve is a time when many like to let loose and celebrate with friends and family over a few drinks, the CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving is reminding everyone that you can have fun, and prepare to leave your car at home.

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“Whether that’s taking an Uber or ride-sharing or taxi or public transportation. You have one friend who’s going to be sober. You’re going to stay over whatever it looks like,” MADD CEO Steve Sullivan told 1130 NewsRadio.

“There are so many options for people to choose from. We just want to make sure that everybody gets home safe.”

Sullivan explains MADD volunteers will be out with police across the region doing sobriety checks on the roads.

He adds that nowadays you don’t have an excuse not to have a safe ride home heading into 2025.

“Obviously, it’s a big night for people to celebrate with their friends and family and co-workers and people returning to town. Whatever that looks like for people, it may involve the consumption of alcohol and or drugs,” he explained.

“And if that is the case, our message is really simple, plan ahead. Plan ahead for a safe ride home,” he said.

Sullivan says with free transit in Metro Vancouver from 5 p.m. Tuesday, there’s no reason to consider driving under the influence.

From 5 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 5 a.m. on Jan. 1, TransLink is offering free transit to all customers. During these hours, fare gates at the SkyTrain and SeaBus stations will remain open. There is no need for customers to tap their Compass Cards or use other payment methods. If your trip begins prior to 5 p.m., TransLink is advising transit users to still tap off to ensure being charged the correct fare.

“We know at this time of year, with New Year’s and obviously Christmas just passed and all the celebrations, we know that law enforcement has been much more proactive in their work and we see that across the country,” Sullivan said.

“Many of our volunteers are doing sobriety checks with police, and that’s important for people to know that police are out there and they’re looking for impaired drivers.”

Police departments across the region are deploying extra officers on Tuesday to deal with crowds and to deter drunk or drug driving.

The Vancouver Police Department tells 1130 NewsRadio that New Year’s Eve is always one of its busier nights of the year, similar to St. Patrick’s Day or Halloween.

“Although there are no major public events in Vancouver, we always have large numbers of people coming to the city to celebrate,” the VPD said.

“We are deploying more than 100 extra officers to places like the Granville Entertainment District, Gastown, Yaletown, and other parts of the city where crowds tend to gather. Those officers will be there to keep people safe and to respond quickly if there’s an emergency. We’ll also have CounterAttack roadblock teams deployed to stop anyone who is driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol.

“We want everyone to have fun and to celebrate responsibly so we can all make it safely to 2025,” the VPD added.

Meanwhile, police in Burnaby, Surrey, Abbotsford, Richmond, Delta, and Port Moody tell NewsRadio that extra officers will be on the beat working on New Year’s Eve.

The Surrey Police Services says that they will also have an “additional complement” of officers working even though there are no sanctioned events either.

“As always on New Year’s Eve, a focus of police will be on impaired driving. We encourage everyone, regardless of whether you’re celebrating in Surrey, with friends or family, or going to a private function, to be safe and if you’re consuming liquor or drugs, please ensure you arrange for a designated driver, use transit, a ride-sharing service, or a taxi,” Surrey Police Service Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton shared.

Police in Delta are forewarning drivers to expect several roadblocks in the city as officers focus on impaired driving through its CounterAttack partnership with ICBC.

Port Moody Police say they will also be doing proactive enforcement, including “bar walks.”

“With Operation Red Nose, ride hailing and taxi services operating within our community this evening there is no reason for anyone to not have a safe ride home. AbbyPD is wishing everyone a safe and happy New Year,” Abbotsford Police Department Sgt. Paul Walker stated.