Police roll out holiday road checks to curb impaired driving

Police across B.C. are launching their annualroadchecksin an effort to curb drunk driving during the holidays this year.

It's just one way that provincial authorities aresupportingroad safety as holidaypartiersenjoy theireggnog and hot-buttered rum.

"Getting home safely should be part of everyone's holiday planning but the reality is that impaired driving remains a leading cause of car crash fatalities in B.C.," Transportation Minister Todd Stone said Thursday in anews release.

ICBCestimates impaired driving kills about66 people in B.C. every year. As many as 16 people are killed in car crashes due to impaired driving in the Lower Mainland alone.

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The insurerrecommends people secure a safe ride home by calling a taxi, taking public transit or by naminga designated driver.

ICBCis also supportingOperation Red Nose a service in which volunteers provide people with a safe ride home when they're too drunk or tired to hop behind the wheel.

The Vancouver Police Department warned people not to drive impaired this holidayin atweet.

"There are many alternatives to driving drunk designated driver, friend, transit, taxi ... don't include us in your plans."