Saturday is National Enforcement Day – Impaired Driving

May 15, 2015

Canada Road Safety Week continues this weekend across the Country. It is an enforcement-driven initiative designed to increase public compliance and awareness with safe driving measures and ultimately, to save lives.

This year as part of Canada Road Safety Week the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police introduced a National Enforcement Day for impaired driving. On Saturday May 16th, 2015 police services across the country join together to bring extra attention to this serious problem.

In partnership with other police agencies the Brantford Police Service will participate on Saturday with dedicated enforcement regarding drug and alcohol impaired driving.

MADD Canada estimates there are somewhere between 1,250 and 1,500 impairment-related crash deaths in Canada each year (3.4 – 4.1 deaths per day).

– MADD http://madd.ca/madd2/en/impaired_driving/impaired_driving_statistics.html

Do you know?

You can be charged with impaired driving on your own property.

The Criminal Code of Canada applies not only to public roads and highways, but to private property as well.

What is impaired driving?

Impaired driving means operating a vehicle (including cars, trucks, boats, snowmobiles and off-road vehicles) while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

It is a crime under the Criminal Code of Canada and the consequences are serious. You may:

•lose your licence

•have your vehicle impounded

•need to pay an administrative monetary penalty

•need to attend an education or treatment program

•be fined upon conviction

•be required to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle

•spend time in jail

Drinking and driving

Even one drink can reduce your ability to react to things that happen suddenly while you are driving. The effects of alcohol include blurred or double vision, impaired attention and slowed reflexes. Your life and the lives of others can change forever if you drive after drinking alcohol.

Understanding blood alcohol concentration (BAC)

The amount of alcohol in your body is measured by the amount of the alcohol in your blood. This is called blood alcohol concentration, or BAC. Once you take a drink, there is no way to guess what your BAC is.

Many factors can affect your blood alcohol level including:

•how fast you drink

•whether you are male or female

•your body weight

•the amount of food in your stomach

In Ontario and the rest of Canada, the maximum legal BAC for fully licensed drivers is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood (0.08). Driving with BAC over 0.08 is a criminal offence.

If you’re travelling this weekend, make sure you;

obey the speed limit

ensure all persons in the vehicle are wearing their seat belts

don’t drink and drive

don’t use hand held electronic devices while behind the wheel

keep your eyes on the road.

keep an extra watch for cyclists, pedestrians and motorcycles

Traffic will be heavy this weekend, be patient give yourself extra time so you don’t feel the need to rush. Slow down to reduce your risk of being involved in a crash.

Have a fun safe long weekend!!

Education, Awareness, and Enforcement is key to saving lives!

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