Can you afford to become a statistic?

Penticton RCMP say many people are still not getting the message about drinking and driving and that statement was proven by an enforcement blitz which took place Friday evening.

Sergeant John Rasmussen says over the course of just a few hours, seven people were arrested for impaired driving.

“We set up road checks in outlaying secondary roadways, locations not normally frequented by police for the purpose of checking for impaired drivers. This proved that many drivers just don’t listen, as these drivers felt that they could drink alcohol in the local establishments and as they only had a few blocks to drive home, thinking taking a side road to avoid the police would be acceptable,” says Rasmussen.

He says it doesn’t make a difference if a driver is driving 100 kilometres or two blocks.

“People caught driving while impaired face the same consequence, regardless of the distance they were travelling.”

Rasmussen says the grim reality is those caught driving impaired face a heavy fine and possible jail time.

“Can you afford to pay up to $2,000 fine and have your drivers licence suspended for over a year? That is the reality of being caught driving while impaired for your first conviction.”

He says as well as the people arrested for impaired driving, an additional 12 drivers were given a 24 hour driving prohibition, two drug seizure were made, 28 Provincial traffic tickets issued and 23 written warning for minor vehicle defects were handed out.