What's Needed Next in the Fight Against Impaired Driving?
On September 25, 2001, the Canada Safety Council hosted a Roundtable to discuss the current status of the impaired driving problem in Canada. Representatives from national stakeholder organizations participated. Following are some of the points raised in that meeting.
Fund the System: There was general agreement that the resources to combat impaired driving are inadequate. However, funding must be provided throughout the system. If police lay more charges, the courts and Crown Attorneys must be available to process those charges; and treatment must be available for offenders with an alcohol problem.
Prevent Recidivism: Proper treatment has been shown effective with 80 per cent of those who take it. There should be consistent assessment and treatment of offenders, including first offenders. Ignition interlock has proven it can be effective; but such programs must include monitoring of "fail" readings so that appropriate action can be taken.
Specialized Courts: Outcomes in the judicial system influence enforcement; i.e. if the courts are unable to convict offenders, police will be less willing to lay charges. The high volume of impaired driving charges should justify courts to hear exclusively this type of case. Such courts would be have judges and prosecutors specialized in all aspects of the Criminal Code as it relates to impaired driving.
Convict the Guilty: Those accused of impaired driving rarely plead innocent, but there is no record of why accused are found not guilty. Charges are often dismissed on procedural complaints. If the individual is obviously guilty, judges must be able to over-ride technicalities. Nonetheless, the conviction rate for impaired driving is very high; there is no trial for those who plead guilty.
Enforce .08 BAC: There was discussion of BAC levels in the Criminal Code. Most participants felt lower limits would be of no benefit. Police are challenged to enforce the current limit. Other countries which have very low Criminal Code BAC limits have seen a rise in the use of illicit drugs with no decline in the impaired driving toll.
Community Action: Although impaired driving causes more deaths and injuries than violent acts, police (and to some extent the community) still consider it only a traffic offense. This culture must change. Community action must be harnessed in order for resources to be dedicated to the problem. At present, community activists often focus on issues with little or not impact on safety, such as traffic calming.
Return to top of page |
