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The Van de Vorst family is no stranger to the danger posed by impaired driving.
In 2016, one night changed the lives of Lou and Linda Van de Vorst forever. Their son, his wife and their two children were killed by an impaired driver.
Since then, it’s changed their outlook on the world as a whole.
“It changes you completely, quite honestly. For example, I go downtown and you watch people. They go into the bars (and) right away you’re thinking, ‘How much have they had to drink?’ (and) ‘Are they getting home by driving?’ And I think, ‘Wow,’ ” Lou said following a media conference Thursday.
The media conference included the unveiling of a vehicle to be displayed at four different locations in Saskatoon. Those behind it include MADD Saskatoon, SGI, the City of Saskatoon and the Saskatoon Police Service.
The Crashed Car Awareness campaign has made stops in Regina, Meadow Lake and Prince Albert, and its stop in Saskatoon will last until Oct. 28.
The car is smashed up — simulated to look like a car that had just been in a serious crash.
The crashed car awareness campaign has made its way to Saskatoon, with the vehicle set up at Warman Road and Wanuskewin Road for the next two weeks. Pictured on Sept. 2, 2021. (Brady Lang/650 CKOM)
When people look at the vehicle, Linda said she hopes people’s minds are reminded that impaired driving does kill.
“It will kill,” she said. “Do I really want to take a chance and go for a ride after I’ve taken a few drinks? There’s always a possibility I may not get home, or someone else that I injure or kill will not go home. It’s not worth it.”
She added she hopes the display has an impact and moves people.
“It’s a reality check that there’s a big consequence — a loss of life … I’d hope people would take a second look,” Linda said.
“It’s hard to do what we do on a regular basis … It doesn’t just hurt today, it hurts all the time.”
The vehicle is on display at the corner of Wanuskewin and Warman roads, across from the Independent Grocer. The car will move three more times to high-visibility locations across the city.
