See a drunk driver? Call 911.
That's the message the Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization wants people to take from its Report Impaired Driving, Call 911 campaign.
Tracy Crawford, MADD's chapter services manager for B.C. and the Yukon, spoke to Burnaby council about the initiative at Monday night's meeting.
"The program itself is very simple and effective," she said, explaining that signs are put up in highly visible areas to educate people that they can call 911 if they suspect someone is driving while impaired.
The program has been adopted by more than 70 communities in Canada, including neighbouring cities such as Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody, according to Crawford.
So far, the program has been well received, she said.
"I don't think we're going to find anyone who says, 'I want to drive on the road with someone who is impaired,'" she said. "And people sure don't want to get that knock on the door."
But many people don't know what to do when they suspect someone is driving while under the influence, she added.
People who notice others drinking at parties can call 911 before anyone has headed out on the road, Crawford said, as police want to stop drunk drivers before they get in an accident.
People can report suspicious behaviour anonymously, she added.
Crawford said she had met with the Burnaby RCMP, and they support the program.
The Burnaby RCMP communications officer was not available for questions before press time.
Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan said the city could work with the organization to get the information out, but there are issues with placing big signs on public property in Burnaby, so they would have to find other ways to educate the public.
MADD's website has information on the campaign, such as possible signs of impaired driving.
These include driving at unreasonably fast, slow or inconsistent speeds; drifting in and out of lanes; tailgating and changing lanes frequently; making exceptionally wide turns; changing lanes or passing close to other cars; overshooting or stopping too far before stop signs and traffic lights; ignoring signs and lights; moving too quickly or slowly at signals and intersections; driving without headlights, or keeping high beams or turn signals on; and driving with the windows open in bad or cold weather.
People who think they've seen a possibly impaired driver should call 911, give the location, vehicle description - including colour, make and model, the licence plate number, the direction the vehicle was traveling in and a description of the driver, the website states.
For more information, go to www.madd. ca/madd2/en/services/awareness_cam paigns_campaign_911.html.
