Medicine Hat Police Check Stop

By Hayley Ferguson

Impaired Driving

Lot’s of options to get home safely this New Year’s Eve

Dec 30, 2019 | 5:27 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – New Year’s Eve is a time when many head out to celebrate.

That’s why the Medicine Hat Police Service are urging people that if you plan on drinking to ring in 2020, to plan ahead to make sure everybody gets home safely.

“As far as our impaired driving for 2019, we’re kind of consistent with the last few years. I think we’re around 125 right now. So, of course, we want those numbers to decrease. But there has been some New Years where we’ve had multiple impaireds caught on that night. So we just want to make sure that everybody gets home safe,” said Sgt. Gerald Sadlemyer.

Between 2008 and 2016, 574 people died and nearly 8,000 were injured as a result of impaired driving in the province.

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That’s why police are reminding people that there are other options like 24-7 Designated Drivers, who will drive you and your car home.

“People my age, we didn’t have this kind of service when we were kids. So it’s like teaching an old dog new tricks. But we get a lot of people that are 50, 60, 70 that when we learned, we learned to drive ourselves. I lost a lot of friends that way,” said the owner and operator, Kenneth White.

As well, White says that he loves how many young people also use the service.

“I’m a father. It’s actually very encouraging. I can look forward to my daughter being around a long time because she does use services like this,” he said.

Both cab companies in town will have their entire fleets out as well.

Deluxe Central Taxi diver Lloyd Harty, says should be about 50 vehicles.

Even with all of those options out on the road, hour-long waits are expected.

“It’s so important to be safe on the road. And when you get a couple of extra drinks into you, you’re tempted when you have to wait for a cab. But we’ll be there for you. I promise,” Harty smiled. “We’re going to try to look after business as best we can on New Year’s Eve.”

Both Harty and White recommend calling an hour before wanting to be picked up.

“That way we can pick you up when you want, not just when we can,” White said.

As well, White hopes that people will inform their driver of what their plans are so that dispatch has a better idea of how long trips will be for others who are waiting.

“When we drop your parents off, we drop your friends off, we go get your cigarettes. And now it’s an hour and a half. When I at dispatch expected it to take 15 minutes,” he said.

As well, Sadlemyer says that having a designated driver in your group is always a good idea.

“There’s no excuse anymore for drinking and driving. There’s just too many other options out there. If one friend in the group has to be the sober driver for the night, then so be it. Just get everybody home safe,” he said.