It's been a long road for Orillia's crusader against drunk driving
December 31, 2001

By Jim Purnell
The Packet & Times

Determined, passionate, relentless and persistent.  Those are the words used by people to describe Orillia's 2001 Citizen of the Year, Doug Abernethy, the founder of Orillia Against Drunk Driving.
The 43-year-old was nominated by a group of people who have never met the man, yet admire his determination to curb drinking and driving.
"I just think he's so dedicated to his cause and sigle-mined," said Ann Crysdale Gourlie, one of many who nominated Abernethy without ever meeting him.
Every year for more than half a century, The Packet has named this city's Citizen of the Year based on a panel of judges and nominations it receives from readers.
They nominated Abernethy for his tireless work with Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop to make an ignition interlock device mandatory for those convicted of drinking and driving.
Ontario became the first Canadian province to make the small device mandatory earlier this month when Dunlop's private member's Bill 131 was passed into law.  The amendment to the Highway Traffic Act makes it mandatory that a driver convicted of drinking and driving blow into the device before starting a vehicle.
If there is alcohol on the driver's breath, the vehicle won't start.
To prevent the driver from drinking while driving, breath samples must be given at pre-set intervals.
Dunlop, who met with Abernethy in his Queen's Park office a number of times while developing the bill, said his passion for the cause was obvious.
"Doug's quite a character....he's persistant,"said Dunlop.
Abernethy, who grew up in Toronto, moved to Orillia in 1982 after marrying his wife Cathy, an Orillian.
He gave up his lawn care business to take care of his nine-year-old son Michael Timothy, named for Abernethy's brother who died after a crash involving a drunk driver.
Abernethy founded Orillia Against Drunk Driving in 1994 in memory of his brother, Tim, who died in 1981 at age 15.
Doug was driving with Tim on Highway 11 near Gravenhurst when a drunk driver crossed over the centre line and hit their vehicle head on.
After the crash, Doug spent two months in hospital recovering from injuries, including a damaged pancreas and collapsed lung.  He still can't close his left eye, which was damaged by glass from the car's winshield.
Doug enjoys spending time outdoors with his son, just as he enjoyed outdoor activities with his brother.
"He has taken a personal tragedy in his life and turned it into something positive with his relentless fight against drinking and driving," said Orillia city councillor Maggie Buchanan.
His wife Cathy said Doug will continue his work to curb drinking and driving despite his recent success.  "He's really determined, he's not going to stop."
She said he works about 40 hours a week, providing information about drinking and driving to many people, including politicians and students.   Coun Francis Smith Orillia's former police chief said Abernethy was always a supporter of RIDE, the festive-season police campaign against drinking and driving.

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