Saskatchewan Government Insurance has launched a new ad campaign in an effort to show the effects of impaired driving.
It’s called “Knock on the Door” and shows a family opening their doors to police officers after their loved one was killed by an impaired driver.
“That knock on the door is something far, too many Saskatchewan people have had to experience,” Minister Responsible for SGI Joe Hargrave said in a written release. “It represents the moment a family is torn apart, and it leaves a wound that will never fully heal. Impaired driving takes lives, breaks hearts and shatters families, and it’s why SGI is launching a new awareness campaign – to help save lives and prevent families from experiencing that unnecessary pain.”
The campaign contains a television spot where a father with three children is told by police that their mother isn’t coming home.
There is also a second video with real-life testimonials from Saskatchewan first responders who have seen the aftermath of impaired driving.
Impaired driving is still the leading cause of fatalities on Saskatchewan roads. In 2017, 39 people died and 357 were injured in impaired driving collisions.
“This campaign is hard-hitting and heartbreaking, and it’s necessary,” Hargrave said. “We need to make better decisions – to never drive impaired and plan a safe ride home every time, to prevent these senseless tragedies. We are grateful to the first responders who shared their stories in this ad, and to the families who continue to support our efforts against impaired driving.”
The province-wide campaign runs until the end of October.
