With the federal promise of legalized marijuana, there is an anticipated surge in the usage of the drug.
With that in mind, the CRD Traffic Safety Commission has launched a campaign that targets drug-impaired driving in B.C.
The Don’t Drug and Drive video contest will award the creators of the best 60-second video ads with their choice of a MacBook, a Surface Pro tablet, or an iPad Pro. The school whose students submit the most entries will also claim one of the prizes. There’s a total of $6,000 in prizes, plus the winning ads will be broadcast on CTV Vancouver Island.
The hope is that local youth will come up with messages that resonate with their peers as an effective way to reduce the increasing numbers of deaths and injuries resulting from crashes caused by drivers who are high.
“We’re hoping that by having youth make videos they will not only speak to youth, but to everyone,” said Saanich Coun. Colin Plant, who chairs the CRD Traffic Safety Commission. “Sometimes youth have a unique way to express themselves.”
Plant said the Traffic Safety Commission was surprised by research that suggested there is a number of youth who see drinking and driving separate from drugging and driving.
While drunk-driving crashes continue to decrease, police departments and RCMP throughout the CRD are reporting a steady increase in the number of drivers impaired by drugs, something which they worry will become even more common once marijuana is legalized. Over the last 10 years in the region almost 60 people have died as a result of impaired driving. That’s in addition to the 3,400 crashes and 1,900 injury victims from crashes where alcohol or drug impairment played a role.
“We found out youth understand drinking and driving is wrong, and they are not doing it,” Plant said. “However, they don’t seem to have that concern with drugs, especially marijuana, so we wanted to ask students to make commercials.”
Potential entrants will be invited to attend a professional creative briefing by CTV Vancouver Island’s creative team on April 28. Entrants will also be given access to up-to-date police and medical statistics on drugged driving.
“It’s a a new venture for the Traffic Safety Commission,” Plant said. “The idea of drunk driving videos isn’t new, but the idea of drugging and driving is new territory.”
For complete contest rules, please visit CRDtrafficSafety.ca. The deadline for entries is May 19, 2017.
reporter@saanichnews.com