It's 'Your Call' to stop drinking and driving
By Jack Boland
Toronto Sun
June 29, 2007

RICHMOND HILL -- By dialling 911 in York Region, everyday citizens can now become crime fighters -- and halt the potential tragedies of those who continue to drink and drive, police say.

With the onset of the Canada Day long weekend, York Region Police Chief Armand La Barge and Margaret Williams, president of York Region's Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), yesterday announced "Safe Roads -- Your Call," an initiative to combat a crime that kills four Canadians a day.

"Impaired driving is Canada's number one criminal cause of death," Williams said. "On average four people are killed and another 190 are maimed/injured in alcohol-related collisions."

The pair unveiled a massive sign along Yonge St., south of Stouffville Rd., urging motorists to call 911 if they spot someone they believe is driving drunk.

TRAGIC MEMORIES

The unveiling brought back tragic memories for Franca Piselli and her husband Marco. Franca's father, Domenic Sabino, was killed Jan. 24, 2003 when his car was T-boned by a 23-year-old impaired driver. "He stepped out for a moment and he never came back," Franca said.

Her father had closed his family-run business in Newmarket early that day as he planned to take his wife out for her birthday dinner.  "It changed out lives forever. We remain devastated, and things have never been the same since then."

Marco said his father-in-law had stepped out to go get something and "he was killed."

Franca said the program -- even though it wasn't around to help her father -- "is never too late" to help others.

Sgt. Brad Bulmer said dispatchers received 1,245 911 calls in 2006 from citizens, resulting in 117 arrests of suspected drunk drivers.

Also see...

MADD Canada's Campaign 911