MONTREAL -- The ride-home service offered by Operation Nez Rouge proved to be popular in Montreal in 2019, with 200 more rides home provided than last year, for a total of 2,589 trips.
Whether they were impaired by alcohol, cannabis or some other kind of drug, tens of thousands of party-goers across Canada turned to Nez Rouge this holiday season to get them home safely.
In Quebec, volunteers got behind the wheels of 52,578 vehicles in 2019, five per cent fewer than the year before.
Nez Rouge spokesperson Danielle Vien attributed the slight dip in the numbers to several factors, including the weather and the availability of taxi services in a particular region, and said she’s very satisfied with the 2019 results.
This annual campaign was the organization’s 30th in Montreal, however founding president Jean-Marie De Koninck said he still finds it "extraordinary to see there are thousands of volunteers year after year," who “make our roads safer.”
Operations Nez Rouge does not charge users for its services but does encourage donations. In 2019 the organization amassed $1.9M across Canada. Of that amount, $1.3M was raised in Quebec. According to Nez Rouge all the funds are distributed to non-profit youth and sports groups.
On average 100 people died per year in alcohol-related road accidents between 2013 and 2017 according to the SAAQ. Those deaths amount for more than a quarter of vehicle-related deaths in Quebec. According to the SQ a third of drivers who died in road accidents had drugs in their blood.
