Kawartha Lakes man shares harrowing reminder to drive sober

Phillip Lee had just started Grade 9 in 1988 when he and his family were hit by a drunk driver.

“I was going into high school, and here you think your life is set,” said Lee. The next thing he knew, his family’s car had been hit so hard his grandfather thought it was a train that had crashed into them.  “The vehicle flipped, landed on its roof, spun like a top, and rolled about eight times,” he said.

Lee remembers being stopped at the lights at Highway 35 and 7 and then starting to move as the light changed. After that, he just remembers going in and out of consciousness, fearing that his mom and grandfather had been killed in the accident. The car had rolled into a ditch at Riverside Cemetery.

“I was in the back seat on the side, he hit us, and the back window shattered. I had pieces of glass literally in the back of my throat. I was panicking,” Lee said.

While the passengers in the car survived, the mental scars remain, and Lee still suffers from back pain. “Every year around this time, it always comes back to me,” Lee said.

“I still remember the buckle. That was the worst feeling ever. I’m upside down. I knew what I had to do, and I’m trying to release the buckle. If I wasn’t wearing the seat belt, I wouldn’t even be here today,” he said.

At the hospital, officers told him he was lucky to be alive.

Then, in 2006, Lee was involved in another incident with an impaired driver; this time he was cut off by a teenage driver. A car jack went through the trunk, and had it gone in a slightly different direction most likely would’ve gone through the seat Lee was sitting in.

Data from the Kawartha Lakes Police Service (KLPS) found that in 2024, 42 people were charged with impaired driving offences. So far this year, there have been 20, and with the holiday season right around the corner, that number is expected to rise.

According to Kawartha Lakes OPP, there were seven charges laid in October alone, and at the start of November a man was charged with impaired driving after avoiding a R.I.D.E program.

KLPS Administrative Sergeant Ryan Boutin wants to make it clear that there are serious consequences for those who drive impaired, whether from alcohol or drugs.

A first-time offence comes with a minimum $1,000 fine, a one-year license suspension, and a criminal record. If the incident results in death or injury, offenders can find themselves going to prison for up to 10 years. An offender may have an ignition interlock device installed in their car and have to participate in an alcohol education/treatment program.

Any further offences come with higher fines, longer suspensions, and mandatory jail sentences. At the time of the offence, there is an immediate 90-day license suspension and a seven-day vehicle impoundment, along with increased insurance premiums.

Boutin also wants to remind drivers under 21 that there is zero tolerance for alcohol, as well as for those who hold a G1, G2, M1, or M2 license. “They are not permitted to have any alcohol or drugs in their system while driving,” he said.

Lesley Kirton, one of the community leads for MADD Canada Kawartha Lakes and area, says all they want is for people to be responsible. “It’s not that MADD is against (drinking), but just do it in a safe and responsible manner. If you’re going to be partaking in marijuana use or in drinking, just have another ride home,” she said.

MADD recently started its Project Red Ribbon campaign, which encourages people to put a red ribbon on their car to show their commitment to staying sober while driving.

Kirton says with friends and family available, as well as a variety of transportation methods, including the bus and rideshare services, like Uber, there is no reason anyone should be driving while impaired.

She’s glad that both the Kawartha Lakes OPP and KLPS are “really paying attention. They’re really out there trying to protect us by arresting impaired drivers and charging them.”

“Our officers are proudly committed to keeping our community safe and taking impaired drivers off of our roads,” Boutin said. The Festive R.I.D.E. season begins on Nov. 21 and goes until Jan. 1, and during this time, “you will see more officers conducting R.I.D.E. spot checks throughout our patrol area.”

“If you’re planning to consume alcohol or drugs, plan ahead. Use a designated driver, call a taxi, or arrange a ride share, or simply choose to abstain. The safest decision is always the one that prevents harm,” Boutin said.

Lee gets frustrated when he hears about reports of people being arrested for impaired driving. His message to those who choose to drink is to “think about others that you’re going to involve if something happens.”

If you suspect a person is driving while impaired call 911 immediately.