July 30, 2008: Burlington OPP are crediting alert motorists with averting a tragedy following a high-speed dangerous driving incident on the QEW late last week. Police say callers estimated a driver was exceeding 160 km/h on the Toronto-bound QEW... A 61-year-old Brampton man was charged with impaired driving, refusing to provide breath samples and dangerous driving.

September 14, 2008: A Burlington man faces six impaired driving-related charges after a truck driving the wrong direction on Hwy. 403 struck a car head-on early Friday morning, killing both of its occupants.

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It’s an all too familiar refrain. Drinking plus driving equals tragedy and jail time — that is, assuming you live.

Amy Tiberia knows first-hand the toll impaired driving can have on innocent bystanders. In late 1994, a drunk driver caused an accident that has left deep wounds — both physical and psychological — on the Oakville family.

Amy’s son Raymond, three years old at the time of the crash, sustained a severe brain injury. He was in a coma for 16 days. He had to fight for his life and then relearn all that he knew. Today, the teen still has memory trouble and can’t retain much information.

“From the second it happened almost 14 years ago, the choice one person made to drink and drive forever altered the path of our lives,” said Raymond’s mom.

It was appropriate that Amy and Raymond last week kicked off this year’s Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Halton’s Red Ribbon campaign in an effort to drive home the real damage impaired drivers inflict.

Sadly, the message isn’t getting through. There have already been more than 200 drinking and driving-related charges and four related deaths in Halton this year. In all of last year there were fewer than 200 alcohol-related charges, but eight deaths.

As the holiday season approaches, the Tiberias are hopeful that Halton motorists will tie on a red ribbon to remind everyone that drinking and driving ruins the lives of everyone involved.