LIVID! Learning, Insights & Voices on Impaired Driving

Why do some victims of impaired driving become advocates, fundraisers and activists, while others choose a different path through grief?

In this episode of LIVID!: Learning, Insights and Voices on Impaired Driving, host Amanda Bickell explores the psychology of grief, victim advocacy, meaning-making and personal choice through the story of Aurora Crossen and the Reid Davidson Memorial Golf Tournament in Nanaimo, British Columbia.

Reid Davidson was struck by an impaired driver on July 19, 2023, and died the following day. His friends Aurora and Nick Crossen wanted to honour his memory. Without professional fundraising or event-planning experience, they created a memorial golf tournament that has raised $16,500 for MADD Canada in its first two years, while bringing together friends, families and others affected by impaired driving.

But this conversation is about more than a fundraiser.

Drawing on psychological and sociological research, Amanda explores why some people respond to traumatic loss by helping others, building communities and advocating for change. The episode examines altruism born of suffering, meaning-making, experiential expertise, continuing bonds, collective victim identity and agency, and discusses how these concepts help us understand the choices people make after victimization.

Aurora shares how remembering Reid became an opportunity to support other victims, raise awareness about impaired driving and create a community where grief and celebration can coexist. Amanda also reflects on seeing a memorial to her daughter Abbey at the tournament, and what it means when the people we love continue to be remembered by others.

At the heart of this episode is an important distinction: advocacy is a choice, not an expectation of grief. Some people find purpose or connection through public action. Others grieve privately, or find meaning in entirely different ways. Neither response represents a better or more successful grief journey.

This is a conversation about the extraordinary things some people choose to build after loss, the importance of honouring those choices, and the power of remembering the lives behind impaired-driving statistics.

In this episode:

- Why some victims of impaired driving become advocates

- Altruism born of suffering and the psychology of helping after trauma

- Grief, meaning-making and the importance of individual choice

- How Aurora and Nick created the Reid Davidson Memorial Golf Tournament

- MADD Canada, community fundraising and impaired-driving prevention

- Continuing bonds and remembering loved ones after death

- How social expectations and safe transportation choices can help prevent impaired driving

Learn more at https://www.lividpodcast.ca.

It's time to be LIVID!

REFERENCES:

Bateson, Regina. “Finding Meaning in Politics: When Victims Become Activists.” Perspectives on Politics 23, no. 1 (2025): 250–69. Published online August 7, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1537592724000872.

Klass, Dennis, Phyllis R. Silverman, and Steven L. Nickman, eds. Continuing Bonds: New Understandings of Grief. Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis, 1996. https://www.routledge.com/Continuing-Bonds-New-Understandings-of-Grief/Klass-Silverman-Nickman/p/book/9781560323396.

Staub, Ervin, and Johanna Vollhardt. “Altruism Born of Suffering: The Roots of Caring and Helping After Victimization and Other Trauma.” American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 78, no. 3 (2008): 267–80. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014223.

Vollhardt, Johanna Ray. “Inclusive Victim Consciousness in Advocacy, Social Movements, and Intergroup Relations: Promises and Pitfalls.” Social Issues and Policy Review 9, no. 1 (2015): 89–120. https://doi.org/10.1111/sipr.12011.

Weed, Frank J. “The Victim-Activist Role in the Anti-Drunk Driving Movement.” The Sociological Quarterly 31, no. 3 (1990): 459–73. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.1990.tb00339.x.

What happens when the person responsible for your child’s death dies before the case ever reaches trial?

In Part 2 of my conversation with Lisa Davidson, mother of Reid Davidson, we explore two very different sides of life after Reid’s tragically preventable death. We share the extraordinary ways a community keeps someone’s memory alive, and then we talk about the painful questions that remain when the justice process suddenly ends.

Reid was killed after being struck by an impaired driver in Nanaimo, British Columbia, on July 19, 2023. His family expected a long journey through the Canadian criminal justice system. But part way through, just days before a scheduled pretrial conference, the accused died in custody. 

There would be no trial. No opportunity for Reid’s family and friends to deliver victim impact statements. And no courtroom where the evidence surrounding Reid’s death would finally become clear. 

Lisa shares what happened next as her family tried to obtain answers—including a ten-month wait for the fruits of a freedom of information request.

But why go to through all of that? Knowing what happened can’t bring Reid back. To explain, we talk about why those answers matter, why the official process impacts very real parts of the aftermath, and how the only official indication Lisa has received identifying drugs or alcohol as a factor is a notation in the police report stating “drugs/alcohol involved: yes.”

But this episode is also about what cannot be redacted: Reid’s life and the impact he continues to have.

Lisa shares the remarkable ways Reid’s family, friends and communities honour him, from memorial soccer and golf tournaments and scholarships to RD13 appearing on soccer jerseys and a travelling memorial card that accompanies friends and family around the world.

We also discuss Lisa’s growing involvement with MADD Canada, her work to re-establish the MADD Kamloops chapter, and why advocacy has become another way of honouring Reid. Because remembering who Reid was matters, but so does telling the truth about why he is no longer here.

This is a conversation about grief, remembrance, impaired driving, victims’ rights, unanswered questions, the Canadian justice system, and the determination of one family to keep saying Reid’s name.

Reid was doing nothing wrong.

He should still be here.

Topics & keywords: Reid Davidson, Lisa Davidson, impaired driving Canada, drunk driving, impaired driving causing death, MADD Canada, MADD Kamloops, victims of impaired driving, victims’ rights Canada, criminal justice system Canada, British Columbia impaired driving, Nanaimo BC, Kamloops BC, Freedom of Information Canada, police report redactions, victim impact statements, bereaved parents, child loss, grief after sudden death, road safety, preventable deaths, impaired driving awareness, memorial scholarships, LIVID Podcast, Learning Insights and Voices on Impaired Driving

On July 19, 2023, two young lives were violently ended by impaired driving in BC.

While Amanda Bickell's daughter, Abbey, was killed in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Reid Davidson was driving home in Nanaimo when an impaired driver crossed onto the wrong side of a divided highway and struck his vehicle head-on. Reid was airlifted to hospital, where he fought for his life before passing away the following day.

In this deeply personal first episode of a two-part conversation, Amanda sits down with Lisa Davidson, Reid's mother, to tell the story behind the headlines.

Lisa shares memories of Reid's joyful childhood, his love of soccer, his gift for bringing people together, and the close friendships that continue to shape his legacy. She also recounts the devastating phone call that changed her family's life forever, the long overnight journey to Vancouver Island, and the precious final hours spent at Reid's bedside.

Throughout the conversation, Amanda and Lisa discover the remarkable parallels between their families' experiences, not only losing their children on the same day, but navigating the unimaginable reality of sudden loss, trauma, and grief.

This episode is ultimately about far more than tragedy. It is about a son who was deeply loved, a family forever changed, and the enduring power of community in the darkest moments of life.

In Part 2, Lisa returns to discuss the extraordinary legal challenges that followed after the impaired driver died before facing court, the unanswered questions that remain, and the inspiring ways Reid's family and friends continue to honour his life and advocate for change.

If this conversation resonates with you, please subscribe to LIVID!, leave a review, and share the episode. Every conversation helps raise awareness about the devastating and preventable consequences of impaired driving.

Keywords: impaired driving, drunk driving, road safety, victim impact, Reid Davidson, Lisa Davidson, Amanda Bickell, Abbey Bickell, LIVID Podcast, MADD Canada, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, BC impaired driving, Nanaimo crash, British Columbia, grief, bereaved parents, child loss, trauma, healing, advocacy, criminal justice, road safety awareness, dangerous driving, survivor stories, life after loss.

References:

https://globalnews.ca/news/9853416/nanaimo-suspected-drunk-driver-fatal-crash/

Can we change the conversation around drinking and driving without changing the way we celebrate?

In this episode of LIVID!, Amanda Bickell sits down with Taylor Gwynne from ONES+ Winery, www.drinkones.com one of Canada's pioneering producers of premium alcohol-free wine, to explore how innovation is reshaping the way we think about social drinking, celebration, and personal responsibility.

Long before the explosion of the non-alcoholic beverage movement, ONES+ recognised that consumer attitudes were changing. More people were looking for sophisticated alternatives that allowed them to enjoy the ritual of sharing a glass of wine without the effects of alcohol. Whether motivated by health and wellness, pregnancy, recovery, athletic performance, medication, religious beliefs, or simply the desire to drive home safely, today's consumers are proving that enjoying the occasion doesn't have to mean consuming alcohol.

Taylor shares the entrepreneurial story behind ONES+, what it was like to launch one of the first Canadian alcohol-free wineries in the market, the challenges of building an entirely new category, and how customer attitudes have evolved over the years. Together, Amanda and Taylor discuss changing drinking culture, the rise of the sober curious movement, why younger generations are drinking less, and how restaurants, retailers, and hospitality businesses are embracing premium alcohol-free options.

As with every episode of LIVID!, the conversation returns to the issue of impaired driving.

This episode isn't about criticizing people who choose to drink alcohol. It's about encouraging a simple but life-saving idea: separate alcohol and driving. Quality alternatives like ONES+ make it easier than ever to enjoy celebrations, dinners, weddings, holidays, and nights out without having to choose between participating and getting home safely.

The goal isn't to eliminate alcohol from our culture—it is to eliminate the expectation that alcohol and driving can ever safely coexist.

Whether you're a wine lover, entrepreneur, hospitality professional, designated driver, someone exploring mindful drinking, or simply interested in the future of alcohol-free beverages, this conversation offers insight, inspiration, and a hopeful vision for creating safer communities while preserving the moments that bring us together.

In this episode we discuss:

• The founding story of ONES+ Winery
• Building one of Canada's first premium alcohol-free wineries
• The growth of the non-alcoholic wine market
• Why younger generations are drinking less
• The sober curious movement
• Mindful drinking and wellness
• Consumer trends in alcohol-free beverages
• Hospitality and retail adoption
• Impaired driving prevention
• Creating safer choices without sacrificing social connection
• Why alcohol-free alternatives can help save lives

If this conversation resonates with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who believes we can build a culture where celebrations and safe roads go hand in hand.

Keywords: LIVID! Podcast, Amanda Bickell, Taylor Gwynne, ONES+ Winery, ONES Plus, alcohol-free wine, non-alcoholic wine, dealcoholized wine, sober curious, mindful drinking, designated driver, drink responsibly, impaired driving prevention, road safety, zero alcohol wine, alcohol alternatives, wellness, social drinking, alcohol-free lifestyle, safer roads, responsible choices.

https://www.poured.ca/cover-story/navigating-canadas-changing-drinking-culture/

https://www.frankiewesaluteyou.com/our-story

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/substance-use/alcohol/low-risk-alcohol-drinking-guidelines.html

https://www.ccsa.ca/sites/default/files/2023-05/Canadas-Guidance-on-Alcohol-and-Health-poster-2023-en.pdf 

When a loved one is killed by an impaired driver, people often call it "bad luck." But how likely is it, really? And how accurately does Canada track the true impact of impaired driving?

In this powerful episode of LIVID (Learning, Insights, and Voices on Impaired Driving), host Amanda Bickell examines the statistics, data collection practices, and systemic shortcomings surrounding impaired driving in Canada following the death of her daughter, Abbey.

Drawing on her background in business, analytics, and performance measurement, Amanda asks a deceptively simple question: What are the odds of being killed by an impaired driver? What begins as a search for answers becomes a revealing investigation into how Canada measures—and often fails to measure—the country's leading criminal cause of death and injury.

This episode explores:

• Why reliable impaired driving data is surprisingly difficult to find
• How inconsistent reporting methods distort the national picture
• The impact of Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS) and roadside checkstop programs
• What Edmonton's data reveals about the prevalence of impaired driving
• The difference between impaired driving charges, convictions, and actual fatalities
• Why many victims never "count" in official statistics
• The challenges facing police, courts, coroners, and policymakers
• The human cost of bureaucracy, delayed reporting, and inconsistent enforcement
• Why measurement matters if Canada hopes to reduce impaired driving deaths

Amanda also shares insights gained from attending the MADD Canada Victim Services Conference, where families from across the country described their experiences navigating grief, justice, and a system that often leaves victims feeling invisible.

This episode challenges listeners to rethink the way impaired driving is discussed in Canada. Beyond the numbers lies a difficult truth: these deaths are not simply the result of bad luck. They are the consequence of choices—individual choices, community choices, and societal choices.

If Canada wants to reduce impaired driving, it must first be willing to measure it accurately.

Keywords: impaired driving, drunk driving, drug-impaired driving, road safety, criminal justice, MADD Canada, Mandatory Alcohol Screening, checkstops, roadside testing, impaired driving statistics, impaired driving deaths, victim advocacy, traffic safety, public policy, data collection, RCMP, driving under the influence, DUI, grief, loss of a child, victim impact, Canada, Amanda Bickell, LIVID Podcast, impaired driving awareness, road crash fatalities, criminal law, prevention, public safety.

References for this episode are available on the LIVID website at https://www.lividpodcast.ca/episodes

What happens after the funeral is over… and the world expects you to move on?

In Episode 6 of LIVID! (Learning, Insights, and Voices on Impaired Driving), host Amanda Bickell speaks with Connie Beatty, a fellow bereaved mother she met through MADD Canada Victim Services.

Like Amanda, Connie’s life was permanently divided into before and after when an impaired driver killed her 22-year-old daughter, Rebecca, and her friend Anastasia on October 3, 2021.

That day Rebecca had plans with her friend. They went for sushi. They stopped at Dairy Queen for Blizzards.

They never got to eat them.

Just minutes later, an impaired driver crossed the centre line and crashed head-on into Rebecca’s Nissan Versa, killing both young women instantly.

In this raw and deeply moving conversation, Connie shares what no parent should ever have to endure:

• The moment police arrived at her door with devastating news
• The trauma of not being able to say goodbye to her daughter
• Planning a funeral while living in complete shock
• Watching the criminal justice system unfold during a dangerous driving and impaired driving trial
• Writing a victim impact statement
• Supporting surviving siblings through unimaginable grief
• Learning how marriage, family relationships, and identity change after traumatic loss

Connie also shares how she has transformed unimaginable grief into meaningful advocacy work to honour Rebecca’s legacy.  Through her annual “Blizzard for the Girls” memorial, she invites people to buy a Blizzard in memory of Rebecca and Anastasia.

Through her MADD Hatter Mother’s Day Tea Party fundraiser, she raises money and awareness for MADD Canada while encouraging safer choices around alcohol consumption.

And through annual trips to celebrate Mexico’s Day of the Dead traditions, Connie found a powerful cultural model for remembering loved ones openly—something many grieving families feel is missing in North American culture.

This episode explores:

✔ impaired driving awareness
✔ drunk driving prevention
✔ grieving the loss of a child
✔ surviving traumatic loss
✔ victim impact statements
✔ criminal sentencing in impaired driving cases
✔ sibling grief after loss
✔ bereaved mothers
✔ grief advocacy
✔ MADD Canada victim support
✔ healing after tragedy
✔ honouring loved ones after death

Connie’s story is heartbreaking, but it’s also filled with courage, resilience, and purpose.

If you’ve been impacted by impaired driving, grief, traumatic loss, or want to better understand the lifelong consequences of impaired driving fatalities, this episode is an important listen.

Subscribe to LIVID! for real stories, expert insights, victim advocacy conversations, and education aimed at preventing impaired driving deaths

#ImpairedDriving #DrunkDrivingAwareness #GriefPodcast #MADDCanada #VictimImpactStatement #BereavedParents #ChildLoss #RoadSafety #VictimAdvocacy #HealingAfterLoss #DayOfTheDead #PodcastInterview #TrueStories #LIVIDPodcast

Why does impaired driving still happen after decades of heartbreaking victim stories, awareness campaigns, police crackdowns, and public outrage?

In Episode 5 of LIVID: Learning, Insights, and Voices on Impaired Driving, Amanda Bickell asks a difficult question many people are afraid to say out loud:

What if victim stories are not enough to create change?

After losing her daughter Abbey to an impaired driver, Amanda examines why emotional appeals, memorial campaigns, tragic headlines, and pleas from grieving families have failed to end one of Canada’s deadliest preventable crimes.

This episode explores:

• Why cautionary tales often fail to change behaviour
• Why many impaired drivers believe nothing bad will happen to them
• How sentencing realities weaken deterrence
• Why empathy-based messaging may miss the highest-risk offenders
• Canada’s struggle between individual rights vs collective safety
• Why anti-impaired-driving groups are outspent by alcohol marketing
• Whether awareness campaigns can truly solve the problem
• The staggering $29.25 billion annual cost of impaired driving in Canada
• What every Canadian is already paying for this crisis

Amanda also explores whether a different message—financial consequences, personal accountability, and collective responsibility—may be more effective than emotional appeals alone.

This is not an attack on victims sharing their stories. It is a challenge to ask whether Canada has relied on the wrong strategy for too long.

Because while we wait for awareness to work…

More people die.
More families grieve.
More stories are ignored.

LIVID is a Canadian podcast confronting impaired driving through grief, truth, research, justice, and solutions.

Content Warning:
This episode discusses death, traumatic loss, impaired driving, grief, and failures within the justice system.

If this episode matters to you:

• Share it
• Talk about impaired driving
• Intervene when someone is about to drive impaired
• Call 911 when necessary

Real change starts with uncomfortable conversations.

References:
madd.ca/pages/impaired-driving/overview/statistics/
canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/campaigns/national-impaired-driving-prevention-week.html
madd.ca/pages/national-impaired-driving-prevention-week-stronger-action-needed-to-stop-impaired-driving/
rcmp.ca/en/bc/kelowna/news/2026/04/4351820#s7
wikipedia.org/wiki/Cautionary_tale
share.google/Qj7dscYem9ugu1Vuk
thestar.com/news/canada/life-sentence-for-incorrigible-drunk-driver/article_74764fc7-fbc9-5286-b88b-92b11e1afcf9.html
canada.ca/en/parole-board/corporate/publications-and-forms/timeline-for-conditional-release.html
worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/individualistic-countries
helpfulprofessor.com/collectivism-vs-individualism/
cmha.ca/news/only-13-of-canadians-are-feeling-empathetic/
cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/impaired-drunk-driving-supreme-court-constitution-9.7074077
madd.ca/pages/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/MADD-Heroes-PSA-Report_Final.pdf
mediaincanada.com/2021/05/31/alcohol-ad-spending-is-on-the-rise-report/
publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/dprtmntl-rslts-rprt-2023-24/hrz-hzl-en.aspx
archive.news.gov.bc.ca/releases/archive/pre2001/1999/1876.asp
madd.ca/pages/impaired-driving/overview/the-financial-cost-of-impaired-driving/
canada.ca/en/department-finance/services/publications/annual-financial-report/2025.html

#impaireddriving #dui #canada #roadsafety #griefpodcast #justice #MADDCanada #victimrights

After 967 days of waiting, the sentence was finally delivered.

In Part 2 of Episode 4 of LIVID: Learning, Insights, and Voices on Impaired Driving, Amanda Bickell shares what happened in court when the man who killed her 22-year-old daughter, Abbey, was sentenced.

Four and a half years in prison. A seven-year driving ban.

And one question that wouldn’t go away: Was justice actually served?

This episode takes you inside the final stage of sentencing—from the defence’s arguments for leniency to the judge’s reasoning, and the emotional aftermath that followed. Amanda breaks down what was said in court and challenges how justice is defined in Canada.

You’ll hear:• The 11 mitigating factors presented by the defence• Why claims of remorse, addiction, and “first offence” status are so complex• How Alcohol Use Disorder was treated in sentencing• The role of media coverage—and whether public awareness is considered punishment• How sentencing principles like deterrence and denunciation are applied• Why precedent and parity may be reinforcing a system that isn’t working

Amanda also explores four different types of justice—procedural, distributive, retributive, and restorative—and asks whether any of them were truly achieved.

Even when the system works exactly as designed, does it actually deliver justice?

If sentencing is meant to deter impaired driving and send a message that this behaviour is unacceptable, this episode asks a difficult question:

If it’s working… why is this still happening?

This is not just about one case. It’s about what we accept, and what needs to change.

Content Note: This episode discusses impaired driving, traumatic loss, and grief. Listener discretion is advised.

What you Can Do:Share this episode. Talk about impaired driving. Intervene when you see it. Call 911 if needed.

Real change starts with uncomfortable conversations.

REFERENCES

• R. c. Walsh, 2005
  https://www.canlii.org/fr/qc/qccq/doc/2005/2005canlii10072/2005canlii10072.html
• Government of British Columbia. Alcohol and drug related driving prohibitions and suspensions
  https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/roadsafetybc/prohibitions/alcohol
• Northcote, J. & Livingston, M. (2011)
  “Accuracy of Self-Reported Drinking”
  https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agr138
• Celestine, N. (2020) Prosocial Behavior
  https://positivepsychology.com/prosocial-behavior/
• PIHL Law Corp. Drunk Driving Not Just a Criminal Problem
  https://pihl.ca/drunk-driving-not-just-a-criminal-problem/
• Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO)
  https://iiobc.ca/media/iio-concludes-investigation-into-a-july-2023-motor-vehicle-incident-in-burnaby-2023-201/
• Nesbit, Ben. CTV News
  https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/she-would-be-furious-this-is-how-her-life-ended-mother-of-woman-killed-in-crash-with-suspected-impaired-driver-speaks-out/
• RCMP Press Release
  https://bc-archives.rcmp.ca/ViewPage641e.html
• Nesbitt, Ben. CTV News (Guilty Plea)
  https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/man-pleads-guilty-in-impaired-crash-that-killed-woman-in-burnaby-bc/
• Maragos, Demetra. CTV News (Sentencing)
  https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/parents-worst-nightmare-victims-mother-speaks-at-sentencing-for-fatal-bc-crash/
• Steacy, Lisa & Maragos, Demetra. CTV News (Sentence Outcome)
  https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/bc-man-sentenced-to-4-years-in-prison-for-crash-that-killed-woman/
• Government of Canada. Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
  https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/csj-sjc/rfc-dlc/ccrf-ccdl/
• Criminal Code of Canada, s. 718.2(b)
  https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-46/section-718.2.html
• Wikipedia. Justice
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice
• Kruse Law. Sentencing for Manslaughter in Canada
  https://www.kruselaw.ca/blog/sentencing-for-manslaughter/
• Government of Canada. Recidivism Among Impaired Drivers
  https://www.canlii.org/en/commentary/doc/2011CanLIIDocs627

On March 12, 2026, the man who killed Abbey was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison and a 7-year driving ban.

After 967 days of waiting, the case was over.

But instead of closure… there were more questions.

In this first part of a two-episode series, Amanda takes you inside the courtroom to break down how sentencing for impaired driving causing death works in Canada—step by step.

This episode focuses on the Crown’s arguments, explaining:

• What the offender was legally convicted of
• What “driving over 80” actually means
• How Canadian sentencing principles (Criminal Code s. 718) guide decisions
• Why punishment is NOT a sentencing principle in Canada
• The role of denunciation and deterrence in impaired driving cases
• Why driving is legally considered a privilege, not a right
• How courts assess aggravating factors like extreme intoxication, dangerous driving, and prior behaviour
• How case law shapes sentencing outcomes

You’ll also hear the emotional reality behind the legal process:
👉 Why understanding the system doesn’t always bring peace
👉 Why “justice” feels complicated—even when the system works as designed

This episode offers a rare and powerful perspective:
A victim’s family member explaining the legal reasoning behind a sentence they must live with.

If you’ve ever asked:

• Why are impaired driving sentences in Canada so low?
• How do judges decide sentencing in impaired driving causing death cases?
• Does the justice system truly deter impaired driving?

This episode will give you answers—and raise important new questions.

⚠️ Content warning: This episode discusses impaired driving, traumatic loss, and graphic injury.

🎧 The Next Episode, will cover the defence arguments, the judge’s decision, and whether justice was truly served.

📚 References

Canada, Criminal Code, RSC 1985, c C-46 (ss. 718, 320.12)
https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-46/page-121.html
https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-46/page-46.html#h-121299

R v Suter, 2018 SCC 34
https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/scc/doc/2018/2018scc34/2018scc34.html

R v Macleod, 2022 BCPC 297
https://www.canlii.org/en/bc/bcpc/doc/2022/2022bcpc297/2022bcpc297.html

R v MacMunn, 2025 ONSC 5884
https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2025/2025onsc5884/2025onsc5884.html

BC Motor Vehicle Act, s.148(1)
https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96318_05#section148

🔎 Keywords

impaired driving Canada, DUI sentencing Canada, impaired driving causing death, criminal code sentencing Canada, drunk driving laws Canada, victim impact justice, deterrence vs punishment, Canadian court sentencing, DUI fatal crash Canada, justice system explained

What does a victim impact statement in a Canadian court actually sound like? When someone is killed by an impaired driver in Canada, families may speak during a criminal sentencing hearing to describe the real consequences of drunk driving and impaired driving. In this episode of LIVID: Learning, Insights, and Voices on Impaired Driving, host Amanda Bickell shares the victim impact statement she delivered in court after the impaired driver who killed her 22-year-old daughter, Abbey, plead guilty.

On February 25, 2026, more than two and 1/2 years after Abbey’s death, Amanda stood in a Vancouver courtroom and publicly described the impact of losing her child. This episode is a recording of that statement.

It is deeply personal and emotionally difficult. Amanda recounts her last moments with Abbey, the morning police came to the door, and the devastating responsibilities that follow the sudden death of a child. She describes the reality of traumatic grief, the decisions families must make in the aftermath of a fatal crash, and how a single act of impaired driving can fracture lives, families, and communities forever.

The statement also reflects on the life Abbey lived: her strength, values, friendships, and the many possibilities that were taken from her when she was killed. Through this testimony, the courtroom heard not just about a fatal collision, but about a daughter, sister, friend, and young woman whose future was stolen by someone else’s decision to drive impaired.

Amanda speaks about the lasting effects of traumatic loss, the pieces of life that are completely destroyed, the pieces that remain but are forever broken, and the ongoing work of learning to live with grief that never ends.

This episode contains the full victim impact statement as read in court, shared with the hope that listeners will better understand the real consequences of impaired driving.

If hearing this story helps even one person decide never to drive impaired, to stop someone else from doing so, or to report a suspected impaired driver, then Abbey’s story may help make the world just a little safer.

Listener discretion is advised. This episode discusses traumatic loss, grief, and the death of a child.