Police arrest 18 drunk and drug addicted drivers in the Fraser Valley community

Police arrested an alarming number of drunk or drug-addicted drivers in Abbotsford, BC this long weekend, including 11 on Friday evening alone.

Sergeant Paul Walker of Abbotsford Police said officers arrested 18 impaired drivers on Monday afternoon, which is unusual for this time of year.

“That number is quite concerning to us,” Walker said. “People don’t make great choices when they drive home from their destination, their office parties, their night out with a friend.”

The 11 drivers stopped Friday were captured within a four-hour period, from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m., Walker said.

With the holidays and related festivities approaching, Abbotsford police urged revelers to plan ahead, which could mean anything from arranging a designated driver to utilizing Operation Red Nose.

Motorists can use the Operation Red Nose website or app to have a volunteer drive them home in their own vehicle, but only in certain communities on certain dates.

“There is no excuse for driving home impaired,” Walker added. “We have taxi services, we have taxis.”

Those who decide to take their chances and drive home under the influence of alcohol or drugs could face anything from an immediate roadside suspension to criminal charges, Walker warned.

“We will be looking for impaired drivers every day and every night – and if we find you, we will hold you accountable,” he said.

So far this year, officers have pulled about 650 impaired drivers off the road, including more than 100 who were under the influence of drugs, according to Abbotsford police.

By comparison, 722 impaired drivers were arrested in the community last year, 120 of whom were under the influence of drugs.

With files from Kevin Charach of CTV News Vancouver