BY KELLY ROCHE
Sober drivers who are randomly stopped by police will be receiving a voucher for a 12 or 15-pack of 355 mL Coca-Cola products. The beverage giant is teaming up with Peel Police to support the annual festive R.I.D.E. campaign.
“For us, road safety is very personal and very important,” said Coca-Cola Canada VP of field sales John Stiefelmayer.
Coke has a large manufacturing facility in Brampton at Hwys. 410 and 407, and company drivers are always on the road, he said.
Hundreds of coupons have been donated for the annual initiative.
This year, 1,752 impaired driving related charges have been laid, said road safety Sgt. Brian Kennedy.
“And the R.I.D.E. program has just started so we expect that’ll increase,” said Kennedy. In 2014, police laid 2,186 charges linked to impaired driving.
“I predict we’ll equal, if not better last year’s numbers,” Kennedy said, noting positive ticketing helps officers reinforce the message. “We need to have some kind of deterrent on the road to prevent people from making that mistake, so I believe it does work,” said Kennedy. Most drivers understand the importance of driving sober, said Deputy Chief Brian Adams. The R.I.D.E. program ends January 2, 2016.
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