‘Impaired driving kills'
The mother of a woman killed by a drunk driver is imploring Manitobans to call 911 when they spot people they suspect are impaired behind the wheel, as the unofficial start of summer approaches.
'Impaired driving kills. It devastates families, friends, it devastates communities,' said Karen Reimer, whose 24-year-old daughter Jordyn Reimer was killed by a drunk driver in 2022.
'We are asking people, please do not minimize that a vehicle is a serious weapon in the hands of an impaired driver… if you suspect a driver is impaired, call 911 and report it, just like you would if you were witnessing any other kind of crime.'
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Jordan Reimer's (from left) sister, Andrea, mother, Karen, and father, Doug, along with her many friends and supporters of MADD gather at Jordyn's Memorial Bench on the Transcona Trail.
She made the comments at a Tuesday event organized by the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Winnipeg chapter, ahead of the May long weekend.
The event was attended by the Winnipeg Police Service and RCMP, as well as Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt, was part of MADD's yearly campaign calling for motorists to act.
'It's one of the most important tools we have in the fight against impaired driving because it puts power directly in the hands of the public,' said MADD local president Trevor Enns of the campaign, which began in the early 1990s.
'It reminds all of us that when we see something, we can and we should say something… that call could prevent a crash — it could even save a life.'
The event was held at a memorial bench for Reimer on the Transcona Trail, near her father's home on Hoka Street. Family and friends of the family stood behind the bench, holding poster boards with photographs of Reimer, as officials spoke to the media.
Reimer was killed by drunk driver Tyler Scott Goodman early on May 1, 2022 in a high-speed wreck on a quiet Transcona street, blocks from her home. She was acting as a designated driver for loved ones that night.
'Jordyn's death was incredibly senseless and entirely preventable,' said Reimer. 'Impaired driving is a choice, not an accident.'
Goodman, in his early 30s, later pleaded guilty to impaired driving causing death and failing to remain at the scene. He was given seven years in prison in November 2023.
Police said there tends to be more impaired driving during the warmer months, particularly on long weekends.
GOFUNDME
Jordyn Reimer, 24, was killed by a drunk driver in 2022.
RCMP traffic services Sgt. Darcy Pahl said Mounties responded to 65 fatal crashes in Manitoba last year, which resulted in 75 deaths. He said 28 per cent of those crashes were drug or alcohol related.
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WPS Const. Alexander Peterson said anyone who spots a possible impaired driver should not hesitate.
'It's urgent for us to know — we look at it as an emergency,' he said. 'We want to stop it in progress.'
Winnipeg police statistics recently showed a nearly 31 per cent increase in impaired driving offences laid in 2024 over 2023, which police attributed to increased enforcement.
Nearly 50 per cent of Winnipeg drivers tested had cannabis in their system.
erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca
Erik PinderaReporter
Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Erik.
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