鈥淟ooking at the stats, there are more drivers consuming liquor and getting behind the wheel this year compared to last season.鈥�

If you鈥檙e planning to be out on 91原创 roads over the holiday season, these aren鈥檛 words you want to hear from the local police.

But 91原创 RCMP Traffic Section Sgt. Alexandra Mulvihill was blunt in her assessment of this year鈥檚 drinking and driving statistics. They鈥檙e bad.

During a two-hour period earlier this month, 91原创 RCMP issued three 90-day roadside suspensions, one three-day driving suspension and two 24-hour suspensions after pulling over drivers who chose to drive after drinking alcohol.

What does it say that despite the ongoing widespread advertising campaign, which often includes some pretty heart-wrenching testimony from people who have lost loved ones to drinking drivers, that we are seeing the number of impaired drivers go up instead of down?

It demonstrates a level of selfish disregard for others that is quite simply mind boggling.

Whether the absence of Operation Red Nose in 91原创 this December has had any effect on the numbers is impossible to say for certain.

Granted, it would be easier to organize a night out on the town if the volunteer-runprogram were operating, or if we here in the Lower Mainland could turn to Uber or Lyft. But we can鈥檛.

None of this serves as an excuse. If you don鈥檛 have the patience to wait for a taxi or can鈥檛 find someone who鈥檚 willing to sip soft drinks all night while you imbibe, then maybe it鈥檚 just not your night to tie one on.

If there鈥檚 a bright side to Sgt. Mulvihill鈥檚 report, it鈥檚 that the people serving the drinks seem to be taking the general public鈥檚 safety seriously, with many bar and pub employees refusing service to clients who鈥檝e had enough and calling the police if they鈥檙e concerned about someone driving who shouldn鈥檛 be behind the wheel.

It鈥檚 terrifying to think that we are all at the mercy of so many people who are apparently still out there making bad decisions. All that any of us can do is keep an eye out and make a call when we see something that concerns us.