B.C. Introduces Canada's Toughest Impaired Driving Laws

[HOOT]

I wonder if/when other provinces will follow with such strict laws. I rarely drink anymore and never drink & drive, so this won't effect me. But damn is that going to be tough for even the folks that go out for a couple with friends and drive home.

http://www.icbc.com/about%20ICBC/new...ses/apr2010#1g

Under changes to the Motor Vehicle Act (MVA), drivers who provide a failing breath sample above 0.08 per cent BAC or refuse to provide a breath sample at the roadside will face an immediate, 90-day driving ban and a $500 fine. As well, they will have their vehicle impounded for 30 days. They may also face criminal charges.

Drivers caught once in the "warn" range (between 0.05 and 0.08 per cent BAC) in a five-year period will face an immediate, three-day driving ban and a $200 fine; a second time, a seven-day ban and a $300 fine; and a third, a 30-day ban and a $400 fine. Research shows that driving with a BAC in that range means a driver is seven times more likely to be in a fatal crash than if they have no alcohol in their body.

The new, roadside-issued, 90-day bans mean officers will no longer need to take drivers to the station for a full breath analysis in order to impose a driving ban longer than 24 hours.

It doesn't mention this in the article but another huge thing is drivers who are suspended won't be able to drive while they appeal the suspension (usually takes 21 days), as they could previously.

To give you an idea of .08 or higher (at least what the newspaper said) is a 120lb women could have one daiquiri, or, a 180lb guy drinking 3 pints of beer within a 2 hour period.

[Buzzard]

The small town in BC where I used to live now has no use for roads.

[Canada 02]

interesting. they are essentially making 0.05 the new legal limit

[Russic]

Originally Posted by HOOT

I wonder if/when other provinces will follow with such strict laws. I rarely drink anymore and never drink & drive, so this won't effect me. But damn is that going to be tough for even the folks that go out for a couple with friends and drive home.

http://www.icbc.com/about%20ICBC/new...ses/apr2010#1g

That's pretty much it right there ... it's not really worth drinking at all if you're going to drive home. Can't say I disagree.

It doesn't mention this in the article but another huge thing is drivers who are suspended won't be able to drive while they appeal the suspension (usually takes 21 days), as they could previously.

To give you an idea of .08 or higher (at least what the newspaper said) is a 120lb women could have one daiquiri, or, a 180lb guy drinking 3 pints of beer within a 2 hour period.[/QUOTE]

[Table 5]

Sounds good to me.

[wooohooo]

Sounds great... but I still think even stiffer laws are needed. But this is a great step in the right direction.

I saw a post-crash of a DUI and it was horrific. Killed a 18 year old boy driving home at mid night.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by HOOT

To give you an idea of .08 or higher (at least what the newspaper said) is a 120lb women could have one daiquiri, or, a 180lb guy drinking 3 pints of beer within a 2 hour period.

From my experiences playing around with a research grade breathalyzer 0.08 is pretty drunk. 3 pints in an hour and I'm still legal to drive according to the letter of the law, which I think is a little ridiculous. Bring on the 0.05.

[Temporary_User]

As someone who drinks and drives, I'm not a fan of them lowering the limit to 0.05

[Flashpoint]

Good. About time.

There's really just no excuse. Drink - don't drive. That simple. Carpool with friends, take a cab, take a bus. If you live out in the boonies, have everyone spend the night.

[Joborule]

Not tough enough.

Make it a year if they are over the limit. Along with the car impound. Plus $2000 fine.

Really drive home the point that drinking and driving will not be tolerated anymore. Dumb enough to risk your life and others? Don't get to drive for a year period.

Drinking and driving needs to be dealt with very harshly if it's truly going to be dealt with.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

From my experiences playing around with a research grade breathalyzer 0.08 is pretty drunk. 3 pints in an hour and I'm still legal to drive according to the letter of the law, which I think is a little ridiculous. Bring on the 0.05.

Ya I thought the same. I was just quoting an article I read about this new law going in setting those outlines. Maybe they were playing it on the cautious side. This newspaper is known for it's fear mongering.

Originally Posted by Joborule

Not tough enough.

Agreed! However they have to pass legislation for stuff like this and you have to admit it's at least going in the right direction compared to the past and other provinces.

What I found interesting, and unsure how I feel about it, is the suspension while you fighting the charge. Isn't it innocent until proven guilty? And what about the times the cop or breathalyzer fails or gives a bad reading? That person could be without a car and liecense for 21 days just to be found not at fault.

They state they will reimburse any fines, towing and impound fees but what about that persons time?

Another thing I hate is how this won't come into effect until Fall 2010, why isn't it right now!?

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Joborule

Not tough enough.

Make it a year if they are over the limit. Along with the car impound. Plus $2000 fine.

Really drive home the point that drinking and driving will not be tolerated anymore. Dumb enough to risk your life and others? Don't get to drive for a year period.

Drinking and driving needs to be dealt with very harshly if it's truly going to be dealt with.

Plus 40 hours community service washing off the bodies of victims of drunk driving.

[Azure]

Yeah, I don't think this is tough enough.

And the legal limit should be 0.05 anyways.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by HOOT

Agreed! However they have to pass legislation for stuff like this and you have to admit it's at least going in the right direction compared to the past and other provinces.

That is true. It is progress and hopefully the law keeps evolving so it's gets more serve in due time. Just hope it's not a very slow pace.

[burn_this_city]

Good. I see a lot of drunks on highway 1 around Salmon Arm during the summer. Every year a few people get killed in the area.

[Phaneuf3]

Can't say I like extended vehicle impounding. Hypothetical and completely BS situation that makes it unfair: loan your car to your kid who goes out with a couple friends for a single drink, he gets pulled over, panics because of the one drink and doesn't provide a breath sample. You just lost your mode of transportation to get to work for the next month because of something that wasn't your fault.

IMO, getting rid of the lengthy vehicle impounding part and instead going harsher on the driver's license suspension and fine would be a better option.

[Flame Of Liberty]

That's tough? Try drinking and driving in one of those countries:

Romania
Saudi Arabia
Slovakia
United Arab Emirates
Brazil
Bangladesh
Czech Republic
Hungary

The only countries in the world with a zero tolerance policy, I thought the number would be much higher. 0,05 seems to be the most common limit which is still pretty high IMO. 0,08 is ridiculous.

[C-Life]

90 day ban and $500 fine? That's it? Pffffff.

[zamler]

Okay someone answer me this. Why do clubs and bars often have large parking lots? And guess what, everyone drives there, and nearly everyone drives home. But wait, the Cops could just easily sit in the parking lot and arrest people en masse. But nooooo, that would be a political issue, the bar owners would complain that they are losing business and raise a big stink. So instead, the parking lot gets filled up and of course the people that drove there are going to drive home. Sure, there is the designated driver thing, but it's not used nearly enough.

I say the legal limit should be 0.01. You have even a lick of alcohol, you can't drive. But what really needs to change is the culture of drinking, you DRIVE to a bar and drink, so you DRIVE home. Until people figure out that you can't do that no matter what, and it becomes the norm, the drinking and driving problem will never ever go away.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by Flame Of Liberty

That's tough? Try drinking and driving in one of those countries:

Romania
Saudi Arabia
Slovakia
United Arab Emirates
Brazil
Bangladesh
Czech Republic
Hungary

The only countries in the world with a zero tolerance policy, I thought the number would be much higher. 0,05 seems to be the most common limit which is still pretty high IMO. 0,08 is ridiculous.

Those are the type of policies I want ultimately. Absolutely no BS in dealing with it. You drink and drive? You drive no more for life.