Nez Rouge gives rides to 2,800 people on 1st night of the season

The first phone call at the Cégep du Vieux Montréal headquarter came in at 8:04 p.m., just minutes after the phone lines opened for the 35th edition of the Nez Rouge campaign.

Danielle Giroux picked up — one of 2,887 calls that came in across Quebec on Friday night.

"People who are calling are not very drunk, they're just very funny. I have a lot of fun talking to them," said Giroux, who is volunteering for her seventh year. 

"If it can help and maybe save one life, it's worth it."

Knowing they are making a difference keeps volunteers like Giroux coming back year after year, according to operations manager Mark Infante.

"It's fun to help people get home safely, so that's the main reason people come, and they make friends," said Infante, who has been volunteering for 25 years himself.

Improved app

There were almost as many people volunteering yesterday as they were in need of a ride — 2,513 volunteers showed up across Quebec.

In teams of three, they head out to a home or a bar, pick up the customers and drive them — and their car — home.

"It's a lot of fun to spend the evening with my friends, drive people around who have funny stories. That's why we come back every year," said Bruno Deslauriers.

The organization has updated its app to make it easier for dispatchers to stay in touch with drivers while they're on the road, which should bring down wait times, according to Infante.

People who use the service can also download the app to have the local phone number handy.

Police target impaired drivers

Provincial and municipal police, along with Quebec's automobile insurance board (SAAQ), launched a provincewide campaign on Thursday to prevent impaired driving.

Road checkpoints will be set up regularly until Jan. 3. Police will also be paying attention to drivers who may have consumed cannabis before taking the wheel.

As of Dec. 18, police officers who have been trained to recognize the signs of cannabis use will be able to suspend licences for a 90-day period — positive test results could also lead to criminal charges.

Thursday night, police stopped more than 800 vehicles at the entrance of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge in Montreal. No one was arrested.

According to the SAAQ, between 2012 and 2016, 19 per cent of drivers killed in collisions had cannabis in their blood system, while alcohol was the cause of an average of 110 deadly collisions.

Infante said it's too soon to say if the heightened police presence will translate into more calls for his teams.

Opération Nez Rouge is in operation until Jan. 1 and can be reached at 1-866-Desjardins.

You can also download the app or sign up to volunteer here.