Hello again everyone. I hope you are managing to stay cool in this spell of hot weather that we have been having recently. It is hard to imagine that we could have snow on the ground in 10 weeks or so. Wow, that is a terrible thought!
One of the ways people like to celebrate the good weather is by heading to the bars and clubs for a few drinks. There is nothing wrong with that, but I urge everyone to make sure that they have a safe means of getting home at the end of the night. With that in mind, I want to give a little bit of information about impaired driving.
Impaired driving is when your ability to operate a motor vehicle is impaired by alcohol or drugs. Penalties for a first offence are:
• License suspension (Canada-wide) for an average of one year
• An average $1,500 fine
• Higher insurance costs
• Cross border implications
How do I report a driver that seems to be impaired?
Call 9-1-1. Do not attempt to follow the driver or place yourself in danger.
How does Calgary Police Service (CPS) police this?
CPS polices impaired driving through regular street enforcement and is one of the only municipalities in North America that has a CHECKSTOP program 52 weeks of the year.
How many impaired driving convictions does CPS handle?
On average, approximately 2,700 impaired driving charges are laid every year in Calgary. This number includes those charged with being over .08/impaired as we usually lay both charges as part of the investigation.
Of all the fatality and serious injury collisions investigated in Calgary, approximately one-third of the collisions involve an impaired driver.
Drinking and driving puts people’s lives and property at risk, so identifying the signs can help stop drunk drivers before it’s too late.
How much can I drink and still be able to drive?
The only safe level is 0. Be responsible! Alcohol affects everyone differently. There are many factors that can increase the effects of alcohol on an individual.
Do I have to give a breath sample?
If an officer reads a Criminal Code Demand (screening device or evidential) to a person, then they are required to provide a breath sample.
What happens if I refuse to give a breath sample?
You will be charged under the Criminal Code for refusing to provide a breath sample, which carries the same jeopardy as being charged with impaired driving.
I heard there are ways someone can give a false sample, like smoking, chewing gum, or putting a penny under the tongue. Do they work?
No. The instruments used for investigating impaired driving are designed to detect alcohol, nothing else. All persons providing breath samples will have their mouth checked for foreign objects prior to providing breath samples.
Can I still be impaired in the morning?
Yes. Alcohol is only eliminated from your body at a certain rate. If you went to bed with a high blood alcohol concentration and didn’t wait for the alcohol to eliminate from your body, you run the chance of still being impaired and, if caught, being charged.
How is it determined if someone is impaired by a drug?
If an officer has a reasonable suspicion that a driver is impaired by a drug then the Criminal Code of Canada gives the police the power to demand that a person perform a physical sobriety test at the roadside that is conducted by a trained evaluating officer. If the evaluating officer determines the driver is impaired then the driver can be arrested for impaired driving. If the officer has formed the opinion that a person is impaired by a drug then a Drug Recognition Expert will be called in to determine if the person is impaired and what drug category the person is impaired by.
What is the penalty for impaired driving under the influence of a drug?
The penalties for driving under the influence of a drug are the same as for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Drinking and driving wrecks lives. So does driving under the influence of drugs. I have seen it first-hand. Please be responsible – not just to yourselves, but to everybody else too. I can assure you that there is nothing worse for a police officer than having to deliver a ‘bad news’ message to family and loved ones.
As always, stay safe and look out for each other. Please feel free to contact me in the usual way, or come and see me at the Calgary Police Service information booth at Calgary Pride.
