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10 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday December 19, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com YEAR END BLOWOUT The OAKVILLE New 2005 HONDA CIVIC Automatic, air conditioning. Stk. #P1970 KIA T H O U S A N D S I N S AV I N G S O N H U N D R E D S O F V E H I C L E S ! $ $ 89 8 /bi-wk* ,995 DEREK WOOLLAM / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER 2005 KIA SPORTAGE AWD, V6, auto, leather seats, sunroof, fully loaded! Stk. #RN8082A TO THE RESCUE: Traffic Services Co-ordinator Rich Solecki, left, Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn and Halton Police Chief Gary Crowell pose for a photo with a new RIDE vehicle to promote this year's campaign against drinking and driving. $ $ 134 13 /bi-wk* RIDE has the funds to hit the roads By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF ,995 2004 KIA RIO 4 door, automatic. Stk. #P1912 2006 FORD FIVE HUNDRED SEL Alloy wheels, 65,000 kms. Stk. #P2132 $ 3,995 $ $ 93 1 /bi-wk* 0,995 2004 MAZDA 6 2004 CHEVROLET EPICA Low, low kms! Automatic, sunroof, alloys, power and heated mirrors, air conditioning power seats doors & locks ABS $ $ 99 9 /bi-wk* $ $ ,995 Automatic, 7 passenger, air conditioning. Stk. #P1958A 89 8 /bi-wk* ,995 2003 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER TOURING ONLY 92,000KMS, automatic, 4 door hatchback, sunroof, chrome trim, chrome wheels, alarm, full function power group, air conditioning. Stk. #P2116 2004 FORD FREESTAR $ $ 79 7 /bi-wk* ,995 $ 4,995 *Financing based on 6.49% variable rate. 2006 or newer models based on 72 months. 2005 or older based on 60 months. Taxes extra. SHOP ONLINE AT OAKVILLEKIA.COM 1.866.370.7124 3RD LINE SPEERS ROAD Y YORK ST. T 4th LINE 1450 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE BETWEEN 3RD & 4TH LINE QEW W SOUTH SERVICE RD R Halton residents can expect to see more police spot checks throughout the holidays and into the new year thanks to increased provincial funding to the RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) program. Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn and Halton Police Chief Gary Crowell made this reality abundantly clear during a Tuesday morning sit down with the media in which they noted that Halton Police have received more than $42,000 from the province to boost efforts in preventing impaired driving. "This year, despite the fact that we're having problems with the economy we doubled the funding for the RIDE program. We're now up to $2.4 million province wide," said Flynn. "The reason for that is society as a whole has gotten behind this initiative and wants to see more of it, plus the police are doing such a terrific job and we figure the return we get is much larger than the investment we make, especially where safe roads are concerned." Crowell said there is no shortage of need for this funding as Halton Police have seen a seven per cent increase in the number of impaired driving charges laid for 2008. Police are also reporting a five-per-cent increase in the number of 12-hour suspensions issued. "The message doesn't seem to be getting out as well as we would like it to be. People are still drinking and driving despite the efforts of police," said Crowell. "Traffic safety, including keeping impaired drivers off our roads, is one of the top policing priorities for Halton residents." Crowell said the increased provincial funding will allow Halton Police to allocate more officers to conduct RIDE spot checks during the holidays and beyond, plus it will help fund education campaigns against drinking and driving. These campaigns include ads in newspapers and on television, as well as special programs like RIDE 101. "RIDE 101 was started in Oakville and what we do is go into schools, so the kids are interacting with the police and the kids do things like set up their own RIDE check in front of their school," said Rich Solecki, Traffic Services Coordinator, Halton Police. "They'll hand out posters and have competitions and it's all about getting the kids at the high school level involved. That type of education component is invaluable." Flynn saw the effects of such youth-oriented impaired driving education a few years ago when he attended a RIDE program spot check with police. Flynn said on several occasions carloads of young people would be stopped and, while many of the occupants appeared intoxicated, the driver in all instances had not had a drop. "The only people that got charged that night was a couple in their 60s," said Flynn. Solecki said that while the RIDE programs have been stepped up since the end of November, it's a misconception that people only need to worry about RIDE spot checks during the holiday season. The Region of Halton now has three traffic units, which run spot checks all year. "They're out there hunting. They are targeting impaired driving and they're going to spots where they think they are going to find impaired drivers and they do," said Solecki. "If there's a graduation party, we'll set up a RIDE check out front and hopefully that stops some people who otherwise might drive." Last year, police conducted more than 500,000 spot checks throughout Ontario, resulting in 466 drivers charged.