Impaired Driving

Drivers who are part of B.C.'s Graduated Licencing Program (GLP) are limited to the number of passengers that they are allowed to carry by a restriction on their driver's licence. This restriction is designed to minimize the driver distraction that might be caused by a carload of rambunctious friends. The only exception to this restriction is when the passengers are family members.

The Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) reports 16 to 19 year old fatally injured drivers, especially males, continue to be over represented when compared with older drivers according to a new analysis of Canadian research published over the last decade.

Our friends in Australia are taking on impaired driving with this tongue in cheek video. Done with a game show theme, it explains all the things that a drinking driver may "win." They are not afraid to state that if you chose to drink and drive, you are a bloody idiot! You will see that BC is not the only jurisdiction that deals harshly with impaired drivers.

Even though our winter driving season is almost over, the situation of stopping to pull an unfortunate driver out of the ditch came to mind. I think everyone realizes that care has to be exercised in pulling the vehicle out so that another collision doesn't occur. However, being a good samaritan could make you a party to an offence.

Glen and Tralee Mazu's daughter Brianne held a 19th birthday party with their consent on family property. A minor guest, Dallas Smithson, became very drunk and eventually drove away from the party in a borrowed vehicle. He collided with a taxi, killing the taxi driver and injuring the passenger, Jeremy Lutter.