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June 29, 2016 - 6:30 PM
OKANAGAN - Forget the frigid cold of B.C. winters, stats from ICBC show that summer is also a dangerous time for drivers.
Last year, 24 people were injured in 120 crashes in the Southern Interior on Canada Day, according to ICBC.
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Forty-six per cent of impaired driving-related deaths occur between June and September.
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Impaired driving is the leading cause of criminal death in Canada and is in the top three contributing factors for fatal crashes in B.C.
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The Southern Interior has an average of 25 people killed in impaired-related crashes every year
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Most impaired-related crashes (59 per cent) occur on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
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Forty-three per cent take place between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.
CouterAttack roadchecks are designed to combat these deadly statistics and prevent impaired-related fatalities.
If alcohol is a part of your activities, plan ahead with a designated driver, call taxi or use public transit, a release from ICBC suggests.
"Driving while impaired or riding with someone who is impaired is never worth the risk," Chief Constable Neil Dubord, Chair of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police Traffic Safety Committee says in the release. "Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or arrest are significant and can last a lifetime."
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News from © iNFOnews, 2016