Impaired Driving in Ontario
Impaired driving definition by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation: “Impaired driving means operating a vehicle (including cars, trucks, boats, snowmobiles and off-road vehicles) while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Impaired driving is a serious offense, and in Ontario in particular, the repercussions are exceptionally strict. A conviction can result in fines and penalties, jail time, license suspension, vehicle impoundment, a criminal record, and possibly even a permanent suspension of the license. The new Ontario Impaired Driving Penalties for a first offence are: 90 days licence suspension, seven days vehicle impoundment, $550 fine as January 2019, $275 for licence reinstatement fee, up to maximum of 10 years in prison, and where bodily harm is caused the maximum can increase up to 14 years. : Impaired driving is dangerous. It’s the cause of more than half of all car crashes. In Ontario and the rest of Canada, the maximum legal BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL for fully licensed drivers is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood (0.08). When your blood alcohol content (BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL) is 0.08% or higher, you’re considered legally impaired. Driving with BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL over 0.08 is a criminal offence. In Ontario, you will also face serious consequences if your BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL is between 0.05 and 0.08. This is commonly referred to as the “warn range.” Impairment is a Criminal Code conviction which stays on the record for 3 years, from the date the driver is convicted, and seriously affects the insurance rates. Alcohol — even one drink — can reduce driver’s ability to react to things that happen suddenly. The effects of alcohol also include blurred or double vision, impaired attention and slowed reflexes. Alcohol-impaired driving is one of the leading causes of death on Ontario’s roads. Police officers can demand that any lawfully-stopped driver provide a preliminary breath sample to test for alcohol without reasonable suspicion that the driver has alcohol in their body.
Mandatory alcohol screening
The new laws will give police officers the authority to demand breathalyzer tests from any driver they pull over. Previously, officers could only test drivers if they had a reasonable suspicion the person was impaired. Any driver who refuses to take the test can be charged.
