One too many drinks at the holiday party? Never fear: Operation Red Nose is back
Operation Nez rouge -- or Operation Red Nose, as it's known outside Quebec -- is back for the month of December. Originally founded in Quebec, the driving service helps prevent impaired driving during the holidays; and with no COVID-19 restrictions and more social gatherings, it's expecting a busy season.
"People are starting to go out again, go out to restaurants, bars and everything, and they're in much need of having Operation Red Nose to get home safely," founder Jean-Marie De Koninck told CTV News. "I believe that we will have many calls this year."
De Koninck created Nez rouge in 1984 after learning that more than half of all fatal crashes were caused by impaired drivers.
He laments that even after decades of awareness campaigns, intoxicated people still get behind the wheel.
The good news is, things are improving. De Koninck points out that, in the 80s, around 500 people a year died as a result of drunk driving -- a number which has now fallen to around 100.
But the rate is still too high, he says.
"It is kind of surprising that we still have to offer such a service because there's so many people that take a chance."
Nez rouge is looking for volunteers to help out this holiday season.
Volunteer Yannick Trudel says it's an "amazing" way to give back.
"[The passengers] are partying, they're having fun. So most of the time you're going to hear a bunch of stories, and you're going to have a blast," he said.
To use the service, call your local Nez rouge team. Then, a group of three volunteers will meet you at your location and drive you home in your own vehicle.
Find the right phone number and learn more about the service on the Nez rouge website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.