A Hamilton Health Sciences emergency room doctor has teamed up with Hamilton police to demonstrate the dangers of impaired driving.
Dr. Shawn Mondoux has driven a controlled course while wearing vision impaired goggles, and he did so while filming the experience on Facebook Live on Friday morning.
Dr. Mondoux was joined in the car by Hamilton police media relations officer Const. Jerome Stewart.
The doctor had to navigate pylons and other obstacles that were placed in his path to demonstrate the impacts of visual impairment on a person’s ability to drive.
Dr. Mondoux adds that it was “really difficult”, and he stresses that he wasn’t dealing with the other changes that happen as a result of drinking, such as impaired judgement and reduced reaction time.
He also notes that as an emergency room physician, he says the impacts of drinking and driving on a daily basis when patients arrive with injuries because someone is “getting behind the wheel and putting their cars in the ditch at high speeds” or crashing into other vehicles and injuring those who are driving responsibly.
Hamilton police have launched their festive RIDE campaign and will lanes set up throughout the holidays.
Const. Stewart urges everyone to plan ahead and to utilize taxis, Uber, public transit and designated drivers.