Sunshine Coast RCMP Const. Todd Bozak has been recognized as part of Alexa’s Team for helping to take impaired drivers off our streets.
Bozak, who is part of Sunshine Coast Traffic Services, removed 52 impaired drivers off the road last year. Bozak is one of 313 officers province-wide who were recognized by ICBC, the Justice Institute of B.C. and the Alexa Middelaer family.
Following the tragic death of Alexa, who was killed by an impaired driver while she was at the side of a road in Langley, the Middelaer family challenged the RCMP, municipal police officers, and the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General of British Columbia to reduce the number of deaths caused by alcohol impaired driving by 35 per cent by the end of 2013, the year Alexa would have turned 10 years old.
The 52 per cent decrease in alcohol-related motor vehicle deaths announced by the Ministry of Justice, represents 190 lives saved. Drinking and driving fatalities have dropped significantly over the past three years and Alexa’s Team members were responsible for almost 50 per cent of the impaired driving enforcement in B.C. in 2013.
In 2012, Beirness and Associates Inc. conducted their bi-annual roadside survey to measure alcohol and drug use among B.C. drivers. The findings indicated that the levels of drinking and driving were the lowest ever recorded with 8.3 per cent of drivers testing over .05 blood alcohol content. The study also indicated that patterns of drug use by drivers were more consistent than alcohol use with 7.4 per cent of drivers testing positive for drug-impairment.
“Alexa’s story reminds us that B.C.’s tough approach to drinking and driving is in place to protect families, and it was in her memory that we first brought in our tough drinking driving laws,” said Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton. “Thanks to the many police officers who enforce the law and keep us all safe from injury and death on the road, 190 more people are alive today. The province is honoured to help recognize and thank this year’s new members of Alexa’s Team for their service to British Columbians.”
Since 2008 Alexa’s Team members have processed more than 50,000 impaired driving charges and penalties. The total number of team members has grown significantly, from 26 to 1,321, and includes officers from all regions of the province.
