Did you know that Impaired Driving is the number one killer of youths between the ages of 16-19 across Canada?

With dedicated students, police services, teachers, and needed support from the Drinking and Driving Countermeasures Office of the Attorney General, the student fight against Impaired Driving began in the early 1980s and the OSAID (Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving) Program began in the late 1980's.

Since 1989, OSAID has grown from 100 to over 500 secondary school chapters, and it continues to grow today. the goal of OSAID is to strive for the reduction and elimination of alcohol and other drug related injury or death, with the focus on Impaired Driving. To promote this goal of OSAID in all age groups throughout the Province of Ontario, the group facilitates communication between all OSAID chapters and their members, provides available resources and speakers to secondary schools and libraries, and provides materials for promotion and public awareness.

Everyone can do their part in ensuring Ontario's roadways are safe for everyone. The following are simple ways you can help keep impaired drivers off the road:

• PERSUADE the person not to drive, don't give in to any reasoning they may have
• PROVIDE the alternatives to driving, such as driving them home, calling a cab
• PREVENT your friend from driving until he or she is sober. If necessary, take the keys

Something to think about.....

• Impaired drivers crashed more on weekends (64%) than on weekdays (36%)
• In 1998, the LCBO turned away 40,000 underaged or impaired people
• 56,000 Canadians are injured each year due to impaired driving
• 1,800 are killed each year due to impaired driving
• The legal drinking age in Ontario is 19 years of age