Richmond RCMP will be keeping an eye on boaters and drivers this weekend in a bid to increase awareness, prevention and enforcement of boating safety and impaired driving.
Mounties from various units across the city along with colleagues from the RCMP boat – the Fraser Guardian – will be at McDonald Beach throughout the day on Saturday, Aug. 28.
The initiative is being conducted in partnership with ICBC and the City of Richmond.
In a statement, Richmond Mounties said that 17 people on average are killed, and 750 injured in impaired-driving related crashes in the Lower Mainland each year.
“While keeping our roadways safe through enforcement is an extremely important part of our job, education aimed at prevention is hugely valuable, and is aimed at changing behaviours before something bad happens,” said Cpl. Adriana O’Malley, Richmond RCMP spokesperson.
“By working with our partner agency, ICBC, this operation allows us to do both enforcement and education simultaneously.”
If summer activities involve alcohol, people should plan ahead to get home safely, for example, using a designated driver, calling a taxi or rideshare, or taking transit, said RCMP.
