CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 23, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The family of Alfred Benary joins the Honourable Ric McIver, Alberta Minister of Transportation,  MADD Canada and representatives from the Alberta Sheriffs Branch, Calgary Police Service and Calgary Emergency Medical Service this morning for the unveiling of Alberta’s first roadside memorial sign honouring a victim of impaired driving.

Alfred died in October 2015 from injuries sustained a couple of weeks earlier in a crash caused by an impaired driver.

“One person’s senseless action took Fred away from his family forever,” said his wife Adele Dirks. “With this memorial, we pay tribute to him, but we also want it to be something people see and remember, so that they never take the chance of driving impaired and imposing this terrible loss and grief on another family.”

The memorial sign will be located near the crash site, on Highway 22 just north of Highway 1. It will show Alfred’s name and MADD Canada’s iconic red ribbon image. 

“This roadside memorial sign reminds us all of the costs of impaired driving. Putting other’s lives at risk by driving impaired from alcohol or drugs is unacceptable, illegal, and completely avoidable,” said Minister McIver. “On average, 6,000 Albertans are convicted of impaired driving each year. It’s up to every driver to reduce this number and improve safety on Alberta roads.”

MADD Canada thanks Alfred’s family for their courage, and the Government of Alberta for their leadership in establishing a roadside memorial for victims of impaired driving.

“Roadside signs and other memorials are a powerful way to recognize victims, and to remind the public about the tragic consequences of impaired driving,” said MADD Canada Chief Executive Officer Andrew Murie. “One person’s choice to drive impaired took Alfred Benary’s life and devastated his whole family. When people see this memorial sign, we want it to motivate them to make a commitment to never drive impaired.”

MADD Canada has collaborated with governments in other provinces, including Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, to install memorial signs for victims of impaired driving.

About MADD Canada
MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is a national, charitable organization that is committed to stopping impaired driving and supporting the victims of this violent crime. With volunteer-driven groups in more than 100 communities across Canada, MADD Canada aims to offer support services to victims and survivors, heighten awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and save lives and prevent injuries on our roads. To learn more, visit www.madd.ca.

For more information: 
Gillian Phillips, MADD Canada Victim Services Manager, 780-994-6233 or gphillips@madd.ca
Deb Kelly, MADD Canada Communications Manager, 1-800-665-6233, ext. 240 or dkelly@madd.ca