A survey of Canadian lawyers by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) reveals that challenges with Canada’s impaired driving system, although not new, now appear to be growing.
I recently overheard a conversation between young people where they discussed the daily use of marihuana - on their way to and from school and in their cars. They said it did not affect their ability to drive and that it went undetected by parents, teachers, employers and the police.
Ignition interlocks have been in use in BC since 2005 when they were made mandatory for certain high risk drinking drivers. Effective February 1, 2009 the provincial government has announced the commencement of an significant expansion of their use.
My husband made an interesting statement a while ago that really stuck with me. He said he felt the reason we still have so many people drinking and driving is because we allow them to make a judgement on whether or not they are impaired after they have had a drink.
Last week's column looked at the 24 hour prohibition from driving for all drivers who had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 50 mg% or higher and were either the driver of or who had care and control of a vehicle on a highway or industrial road. This week we'll look at a special suspension that applies to drivers who are in the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP).
Could you please explain a 24-hour suspension of driving privileges? What exactly does this mean? A 24 hour driving prohibition is used when a police officer believes that a person is the driver of or has care and control of a motor vehicle on a highway or industrial road and their ability is impaired by alcohol or a drug.
I spoke to a woman this week who was upset at the way the police had handled the clearing of an out of control party at a residence. The officer had advised all the teens that they must leave immediately and would not listen to reasons for doing anything other than that. She was upset because this forced the teens to drive away from the party while impaired.
There has been an interesting discussion in a driving forum that I moderate on the internet in the past week. The initiator of that discussion wondered why he had been hassled by the police for driving when his blood alcohol level was less than the legal limit. He felt that a 24 hour prohibition was inappropriate when he "only blew a warning."
I recently overheard a conversation between young people where they discussed the daily use of marihuana - on their way to and from school and in their cars. They said it did not affect their ability to drive and that it went undetected by parents, teachers, employers and the police.
Ignition interlocks have been in use in BC since 2005 when they were made mandatory for certain high risk drinking drivers. Effective February 1, 2009 the provincial government has announced the commencement of an significant expansion of their use.
Last week's column looked at the 24 hour prohibition from driving for all drivers who had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 50 mg% or higher and were either the driver of or who had care and control of a vehicle on a highway or industrial road. This week we'll look at a special suspension that applies to drivers who are in the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP).
There has been an interesting discussion in a driving forum that I moderate on the internet in the past week. The initiator of that discussion wondered why he had been hassled by the police for driving when his blood alcohol level was less than the legal limit. He felt that a 24 hour prohibition was inappropriate when he "only blew a warning."