Spike in impaired driving

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The OPP says they have already laid 29 impaired driving charges in the Greater Hamilton area this year and two people have been killed. That’s up already from this time last year when there still hadn’t been a fatality.Veteran Sergeant Kerry Schmidt who was at an impaired driving call until four o’clock himself this morning says the new year has been busy with an old problem “so many people continue to drink and drive, putting themselves and all the other motorists on the road at risk as well. Were seeing collisions, being people charged, we’re seeing people lose their lives as well”. The festive ride program that ran through the holidays saw some alarming numbers too. They laid 593 charges and suspended 485 licenses. During the same period a Hamilton police campaign laid 30 charges in the city, and local police are also busy so far this year with impaired driving calls. Last weekend a man on Hamilton mountain crashed his car into pole. He was able to continue on driving not realizing his car was on fire.Officer Schmidt still can’t wrap his head around the fact that for some having some drinks and driving is a viable way to get home.