Sherri-Jean Kalan (Supplied)
This week, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in Red Deer are remembering those who were killed by impaired driving in a social media campaign.
National Impaired Driving Prevention Week (NIDPW) runs from March 19-25, to educate Canadians about the consequences of impaired driving due to alcohol, drugs, fatigue or distraction.
“Don’t drive under the influence; it only takes a second to alter lives,” said Yvette Kalan, volunteer at MADD Red Deer & District Chapter for 26 years.
The Red Deer mother lost her daughter, Sherri-Jean Kalan, in a car crash on August 23, 1996.
She described her 18-year-old daughter as outgoing, having just graduated from high school, taking a summer job in Banff before starting college. She and another male in the vehicle were the two fatalities of the incident on Highway 1 just outside Canmore.
Yvette says Sherri-Jean died just 10 days before her little sister Taylor’s first birthday. She says Taylor always asks if Sherri-Jean would be proud of her.
“It’s not something as a parent that you figure. That’s when you start planning college or a wedding or something; not where to bury your daughter,” she said, adding she felt disbelief and anger.
No one was prosecuted in the case.
The campaign features tributes on MADD Red Deer & District Chapter’s social media pages, where family and friends post pictures holding a candle in remembrance of their loved one who lost their life to impaired driving, with the hashtags #acandlefor #sober, #nomorevictims, #planahead, #notanaccident, #droptheAword, and #NIDPW.
According to MADD, hundreds of people are killed and thousands are injured in impaired driving crashes each year, and on average, four Canadians are killed and 175 are injured in impairment-related crashes every day.
“Call 9-1-1 if you suspect an impaired driver; the call you make could save a life”
The MADD Red Deer team will be at the Carnival Cinemas parking lot on Thursday from 12–4 p.m., where they will be accepting donations for their organization.
Comments