RCMP are adopting a new tactic to counter the use of social media to let drivers who may have had too much to drink know where police have set up roadblocks.
Called the "rolling road check," three or four RCMP cruisers will show up on a major artery and pull over the first four vehicles and then move on before word gets out.
Because they are often at a location for only a few minutes, "social media has a hard time keeping up with them," North District RCMP traffic services Staff Sergeant Pat McTiernan said.
RCMP are still using the more formal, longer-lasting road checks and McTiernan has no problem with people using social media to let their friends know RCMP are out looking for drunk drivers because more often than not, it makes them think twice about getting behind the wheel.
"We still have a purpose in having the standard, traditional, stationary road checks but this new rolling road check is something we're checking to see if it's going to provide any results," McTiernan said.
"And at the same time, we still have the cars sitting off to the side streets on stationary road checks to see if anybody tries to drive around them."
As a bonus, RCMP on the rolling road checks don't have to stand out in the deep freeze and worry about keeping their equipment warm enough to operate properly. That was noticed on Saturday when the temperature struck an overnight low of -25.8 C.
The rolling road checks remain in use on a test basis only but early indications are they have paid a dividend, although McTiernan noted that the holiday season has become one of the quieter times of year in terms of coming across impaired drivers.
"You've got to remember that the Christmas counterattack is one of our lower-producing campaigns because it's been around for decades," McTiernan said.
"People expect police to be out during the Christmas season checking for impaired drivers.
"Nobody, including the police, wants anybody to be involved in a horrific crash or a fatality throughout the Christmas season.
"I mean, nothing brings the morale down quicker on our units than that type of investigation and when you're dealing with family whose lost a loved one or friend to a fatal car crash that was totally preventable because it was an alcohol-related incident."
The Christmas counterattack campaign will continue, McTiernan said.
"It's that season of festivities and office parties and family getting together, friends getting together and for that reason, we know that there is going to be an increase in the consumption of alcoholic beverages and that's why it's there," McTiernan said.
