With the holiday season now upon us the City of Vancouver wants to ensure everyone knows how to plan ahead and get home safely.
Together with MADD Canada and Preventable, the City is rolling out an awareness campaign across 35 busy EasyPark lots encouraging impaired individuals to leave their car parked overnight and choose an alternate way home. In most City-owned lots, residents can extend their overnight parking until 6pm the next day. At most of the City’s on-street parking, cars can be parked until 11am the next day.
“In the interest of public safety the City of Vancouver is pleased to be working together with MADD and Preventable to promote the many responsible transportation choices available in Vancouver,” says Mayor Kennedy Stewart. “Awareness of these safe options, including overnight parking, helps ensure everyone gets home this holiday season.”
This initiative is a result of two Council-approved motions put forward by Councillor Lisa Dominato this year directing staff to expand the “Park Until” option in the City’s parkades to allow vehicles to easily be left overnight, and, to create a low-cost awareness campaign for residents on safe transportation choices.
“Giving residents easy, low-cost options to leave their car overnight when they’ve had too much helps keeps our roads safe all year round,” says Councillor Dominato. “I am very pleased that as a result of my motion we now have 30 City-controlled parking lots where the “Park Until” functionality is available.”
Using popular parking apps (PayByPhone, EasyPark, HonkMobile) or on-site pay stations and attendants, drivers can plan their parking before a night out or, if needed, have a backup plan if they’ve had too much. This feature, along with other options such choosing a designated driver, riding the Night Bus, or taking a taxi, aims to improve road safety by reducing the number of impaired motorists on the road.
“MADD Canada is honoured to partner with the City of Vancouver, Easy Park and Preventable on this holiday safety campaign,” says Tracy Crawford, MADD Canada Regional Manager for Western Canada. “Helping people make the responsible choice by providing this opportunity to leave their car overnight is a positive road safety initiative that we are pleased to support.”
“On average each year, impaired driving is a contributing factor in 68 preventable deaths on BC roads,” said Dr. Ian Pike, spokesperson for Preventable. “We are proud to partner in this holiday campaign to remind party-goers to have a word with themselves and leave their car in the parking lot overnight instead of driving home.”