By Mark Dreger

Victims and surviving family members of people injured or killed in drunk driving accidents gathered in 琉璃神社鈥檚 Laurel Packinghouse Sunday for the MADD Central Okanagan Chapter鈥檚 fourth annual candlelight vigil.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a place for victims and survivors to come together to get some support and comfort, but most importantly it鈥檚 to pay tribute to their loved one that they鈥檝e lost,鈥� said Jillian Phillips, Victim Services Manager of Western Canada.

鈥淚 just hope that when people see this and see the message that they never have to know what that feels like; they never have to come to an event like this because it is honestly the most soul-destroying thing to lose your loved ones through something that鈥檚 entirely preventable.鈥�

Canada ranks No. 1 among the 19 wealthy countries in the world for roadway deaths attributed to alcohol. On average just under four Canadians are killed and roughly 175 are injured each day due to alcohol and drug related crashes.

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鈥淚 personally want there to be more justice,鈥� said Debbie Dalke, who attended to remember her grandson who was killed by a drunk driver. 鈥淚 want there to be stiffer penalties; it鈥檚 just not fair.鈥�

Dalke鈥檚 18-year-old grandson Travis was killed in Edmonton. He was only two minutes away from his home when he was struck by a drunk driver going over three times the speed limit.

鈥淚 just wish that more people would attend,鈥� Dalke said. 鈥淚 know there are lots of people out there and it would be nice for them to come and maybe just have that comfort and feeling that there are others out here.鈥�

While the staggering statistics may be disheartening to some, Phillips says there are places to go for those grieving loss. 鈥�

鈥淚 have met people when I attend these that maybe didn鈥檛 know about the national conference that we hold for victims and survivors each April,鈥� Phillips said. 鈥淎nd there鈥檚 a few people here today that after we made contact last year came to that last April and they all say how much it鈥檚 helped them.鈥�

When asked what others should do when they see others about to drive after drinking, Dalke didn鈥檛 hesitate to express the seriousness of drinking and driving.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e a true friend you would do your best to get them to not drive if they鈥檝e been drinking,鈥� Dalke said. 鈥淭ake away their keys, threaten you鈥檙e going to turn them in, call the cops on them or something. Something has to be done about it; there鈥檚 just too much of it going on and they鈥檙e not accountable for their actions and it鈥檚 so sad.鈥�

According to MADD Canada, crashes involving alcohol and/or drugs are the leading criminal cause of death in Canada. In 2012, 1,497 (58.8 per cent) of crash deaths involved drivers who had some alcohol and/or drugs in their systems.

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