Here's a sobering thought. According to research conducted by CAA, the percentage of drivers in Ontario charged with impaired driving increased from 3 percent in 2022 to 5 percent in 2024.

As 2024 winds down and we gather to celebrate the holidays with family and friends, there’s something else to reflect on, says Michael Stewart, CAA South Central Ontario’s community relations consultant. “This also tends to be a time where our police colleagues see an increase in impaired drivers on the roads. It’s important to celebrate the holidays responsibly and plan ahead to make arrangements to get home safely.”

During the 2023 Festive RIDE Campaign, the OPP issued 196 impaired driving charges across Ontario between Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve — a 21-percent increase over the same week in the previous year. The good news: Impaired driving is preventable, Stewart points out. “It is a choice [between] getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or cannabis and taking the time before you head out, [so you can] figure out how to get home safely in order to protect yourself and others.”

To help drivers make good choices, CAA has resources to make everyone aware of the dangers of impaired driving. Last year, during the holiday season, CAA partnered with Toronto Police Service on the campaign “Road Safety Is No Accident,” which reached over 1.4 million people and was awarded the Initiative of the Year by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. “We have been part of government consultations in the past to strengthen penalties for impaired driving and explore new ways to change behaviours,” says Stewart. CAA also conducts an annual survey of drivers to gauge their perceptions and behaviours, particularly when it comes to cannabis-impaired driving.

According to this year’s CAA survey, 7 percent of Ontario drivers polled admitted to driving after consuming cannabis in the three-month period before the survey. And the number of Ontarians who reported consuming cannabis edibles before getting behind the wheel has doubled since the survey in 2019. “There’s a common misconception that cannabis doesn’t affect your driving ability or that it can actually make you a better driver,” says Stewart. “[But] driving while under the influence of cannabis affects your coordination, reaction time, ability to pay attention and judge distances, and your decision-making ability.”

If you’re attending a holiday event or planning one, consider the options for getting everyone home safely — assign a designated driver, rideshare or take a cab or public transit. Hosts should also stock their home bar with plenty of non-alcoholic beverages and ensure that any cannabis edibles are clearly labelled. “And if you suspect or know that someone is driving impaired, you can call 911 and report a crime in progress,” says Stewart. “This will help get that driver off the road and keep others safe.”

Visit caasco.com/cannabis to learn more about the risks and penalties for cannabis-impaired driving.