It's hoped a display of 270 white crosses on the front lawn of Sarnia Police Headquarters will deliver an especially sobering message this year.
With statistics showing a disturbing increase in impaired driving in the city, Mothers Against Drunk Driving Sarnia-Lambton President Charmaine Murray hopes the Christina Street display generates discussion.
"It's a very busy area of town," said Murray. "A lot of people go to the waterfront, the Celebration of Lights is down there."
The crosses with red ribbons represent the lives that will be lost over the festive holiday season in Canada due to drinking and driving.
"The officers are 100 per cent impacted by this, as are the fire departments, EMS, hospital staff, even funeral directors find a difference when they're dealing with someone who has been a victim of impaired driving," Murray said. "It does change how it happened. It's preventable, 100 per cent, so it does change the aura for them as well."
White Crosses at Sarnia Police Headquarters Nov. 2, 2019 (BlackburnNews.com Photo by Dave Dentinger)
Murray said Saturday's set-up and dedication kicked off MADD Sarnia-Lambton's annual Project Red Ribbon, which runs through the holiday season. The crosses will be up until about the end of March.
Sarnia police said the 52 impaired drivers arrested during the first eight months of 2019 is six more than the total for 2018. Five of this year's arrests involved impairment by drug.
MADD said local police are also seeing higher levels of impairment, with a large percentage well over twice the legal limit.
