Local police have encountered more designated drivers recently but there is no clear indication that Alberta’s new impaired driving law is deterring drunk drivers.
Red Deer City RCMP Sgt. Bob Bell of the city’s traffic enforcement division said the number of drunk drivers arrested seems to be on par with last year’s numbers despite the implementation of the new impaired driving law, with stiffer penalties, on July 1.
Under the new legislation, a first charge of impaired driving will net the driver a sustained licence suspension until the criminal charge is resolved and a three-day vehicle seizure. For second and third charges, offenders will have their licences suspended and their vehicle seized for seven days.
Last month, local police charged 19 people with alcohol-related impaired driving, seized their vehicles and suspended their drivers licences.
As of Aug. 9, police had conducted 259 breathalyzer tests and have issued 118 24-hour licence suspensions for alcohol-related impaired driving.
In 2011, local police conducted 475 breathalyzer tests and issued 235 24-hour suspensions.
As well, they suspended 29 licences for drug-related impaired driving so far this year, compared to 44 in 2011.
“We are probably on par with last year,” said Bell. “It’s getting a little bit better. ... It’s nice to see a lot more designated drivers and cabs driving around with a lot more passengers.”
He said the message is slowly getting out there to use designated drivers or take a cab instead of getting behind the wheel.
On Friday night alone, local police picked up five impaired drivers and towed seven vehicles.
One driver had a graduated licence. Under the new law, his licence was suspended for 30 days and his vehicle was seized for seven days. Bell said the driver had three passengers with him so that will help spread the word through social media sites like Facebook.
Aleta Neville, president of the Red Deer chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, welcomes the harsher penalties.
“Anything you can do to save a life is worth it,” said Neville, who lost her son in a drunk driving accident in 2006.
Neville said MADD Canada has long recommended all provinces and territories introduced comprehensive, administrative licence suspension for blood alcohol of .05 or higher. She said such programs need to include a seven-to-14-day suspension for a first offence, longer suspensions for repeat offenders and mandatory licence reinstatement of $150 to $300, and the recording of suspension on the driver’s record.
“We’re all about saving lives,” said Neville. “They need to make these changes because people are not getting the message.”
On Sept. 1, the final phase of the new legislation will be implemented.
Drivers with blood alcohol levels of .05 to .08 will face an immediate three-day licence suspension and three-day vehicle seizure for a first offence.
A driver facing a second offence will lose their licence for 15 days and their vehicle for seven days.
A third offence nets the driver a 30-day licence suspension and seizure of their vehicle for seven days.
crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com