As the clock ticks down to a new year, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Windsor & Essex County is urging revellers to make safe and responsible choices on Tuesday night.
MADD community leader Chaouki Hamka says every year hundreds of Canadians are killed, and thousands injured in alcohol and cannabis/drug related crashes.
"These preventable tragedies impact families and communities nationwide, so to ensure everybody gets home safely this holiday season, especially around new year's, we are encouraging everyone to always plan ahead, so you know how you're getting home safely."
He says revellvers can utilize taxi's, ride sharing apps, public transit and sober friends and family as safe rides home.
"We just wanted to make a note as well that depending on the time that you're planning on getting home during New Year's Eve, taxi companies might be tied up, ride share companies might be busy, so just be a little bit patient and wait for those rides."
Hamka says in 2024 there was a noticeable increase in impaired driving charges laid in the region.
"It is suprising at the same time concerning because in Windsor-Essex we've done pretty well overall in getting the message out there to the public about being responsible, and I felt, personally, and as an organization that many people were getting the message."
Windsor police are expected to continue to have an increased presence on city and Amherstburg streets during the Festive R.I.D.E. campaign, which comes to end on New Year's Day.
