Even though this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) red ribbon campaign and the 40th year of the Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) program, we still see a large number of individuals getting behind the wheel after a night of drinking.

On Tuesday, November 21, community partners gathered at Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Bradford West Gwillimbury to shake the heads of our youngest drivers at the kick off of this year’s festive RIDE program. MADD guest speakers, police officers and emergency responders were on scene to enlighten students about the dangers of drinking and driving.

Police say that despite harsh fines and penalties, the number of individuals who still get behind the wheel while impaired is shocking. The festive RIDE program aims to educate our youngest drivers and that’s exactly what it did. Students were moved by one mother who spoke about her daughter who was killed in a drunk driving crash. They also came face-to-face with a mangled car and a hearse to further encourage smart decisions.

We would like to thank all of our community partners who joined us to educate and promote the festive RIDE program to our students. We hope that everyone takes an extra moment to make the right decision this holiday season.

Photo courtesy of the Orillia Packet and Times