The message is simple: If you’re going to consume alcohol or drugs, don't get behind the wheel.
With New Year’s Eve celebrations just hours away, local transportation companies such as Nighthawk DD are preparing for what they anticipate to be a busy night.
“We are going to get as many people home in the time we get as safely as we can,” owner Kyle Russell said.
Despite gathering restrictions in place due to rising COVID-19 numbers, the company is expecting it to still be a pretty busy night, Russell said.
“The only thing that will be different is people won’t be partying in bars. I still think people are going to go out and do their thing," he said. "The past two years have been really hard on everybody and it’s these little celebrations that keep morale up.”
Russell hopes anyone who is out celebrating and finds themselves unable to drive will consider either calling a ride service, taxi or use public transportation.
“Everyone’s life matters. If you decide to drink and get behind the wheel, it’s not only your life you’re taking in your hands, it’s everybody else who is on the road… and it’s just selfish,” he said. “The $35 we charge is a drop in the bucket compared to a DUI and nothing compared to a life.”
With winter maintenance not required overnight this evening, the City of Barrie will be allowing on-street parking from 12:01 a.m. to 7 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2022.
Barrie police will also be out keeping the roads safe. Traffic unit officers were already calibrating all of their instruments today — including drug recognition evaluators — and getting ready for what communications co-ordinator Peter Leon hopes will be a slow night.
“It comes down to people planning ahead and making responsible decisions and choices when it comes to New Year’s Eve," he said. "Obviously, in light of everything we are dealing with pandemic-wise, everybody needs to take that into consideration, but if they do plan on going and do plan on consuming alcohol or using recreational drugs, they should be planning ahead and having a designated driver, a taxi, ride share service or use public transit in order to safely get home.
"We’ve been through a lot as a community this past year in 2021 in terms of tragedy… (so) don’t make our first test you 2022," Leon added.
Over the last 12 months, Leon said local police have noticed the number of drug-impairment stops has surpassed drunk driving.
“So we know there are people out there that are using recreational drugs and prescription medication and still getting behind the wheel,” he said. “At the end of the day, we are prepared and ready for whatever tonight brings and we are just hopeful everybody else has done their planning so that they can ensure that not only they get home safely tonight, but that everybody else does as well.”
With a limited number of services available in the region, Russell urges revellers to be patient and to make sure to give themselves at least three hours of lead time between when they call and when they want to be picked up.
“We will be doing our absolute best to get to everybody in a timely manner, so don’t let wait times discourage you. I know there’s going to be a lot of people that (don’t want to wait), but it’s those decisions that cost people their lives," he said. "And I don’t even mean just killing people. If you get a DUI and you have to drive to get to work, that’s your job gone.
"It’s your whole life that’s on the line when you make that decision.”
