The first long weekend of the summer is almost here and with it, the traditional flood of warnings about the dangers of drinking and driving will be issued. But will the message ever be heard?

The Victoria Day weekend, typically, is a deadly time on the roads and highways and in my opinion, completely unnecessary because the mantra - don't drink and drive, is very clear.

It appears more is needed before we "get it", but more what? An untold amount of money has been spent on education and still the death toll mounts, especially over the long weekends.

What will it take for drivers to take responsibility for their own actions?

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled on a case involving a fatal drinking and driving collision and the question was asked whether the hosts of the party were liable.

After leaving a party in a private home, an intoxicated guest of the party drove his vehicle into oncoming traffic, killing one person and injuring three others.

The court was asked to decide whether or not the social hosts could be found responsible, and ultimately the answer was no.

The decision deemed that social hosts of parties, where alcohol is served, do not generally owe a duty of care to users of public highways.

Personally, I was pleased with the outcome of the decision, because, I feel the court put the responsibility where it belongs - on the driver.

People need to take the responsibility of their own actions and not blame their poor decisions on others.

Far too often, the victim mentality (it's not my fault), is used as a way of explaining poor judgement.

Social hosts may not legally have a duty to the public, but there is still the presumption of doing the right thing.

The phrase "friends don't let friends drink and drive," denotes the moral responsibility we all share to try and look out for those we care about, when alcohol is involved.

Designating a driver for the evening, taking away the keys from a friend who has been drinking, offering to call (and pay) for a cab ride home, are all morally responsible things we can do to prevent a friend or acquaintance from getting behind the wheel of a car, drunk.

According to the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) website, the organization is working with the federal government to effect changes including: asking for the elimination of conditional sentencing for violent crimes, including impaired driving causing death or bodily harm, reintroduce impaired driving legislation that would give police the framework to apprehend and charge drug impaired drivers, and amending the Criminal Code to make 0.05 per cent BAC (blood alcohol content) the new legal limit (instead of 0.08 per cent).

Perhaps tougher sentences will make a difference.

It would be nice to return to work on Tuesday morning, after the long weekend and find that not one person was killed or injured on the province's highways because of a drunk driver.

Then again, I have been told that I am far too optimistic.

Enjoy the weekend and stay safe!