Summer Alert - If You Drink, Don't Drive
The summer months are the worst time of the year for impaired driving - worse than the winter holiday season. With outdoor terraces, festivals and golf, people consume more alcohol in public places in the summer. In addition, barbecues and vacation activities often mean a drink or two.
"Good weather and good times don't give anyone a license to drink and drive," says Emile Therien, president of the Canada Safety Council.
Police and Courts are Serious about Impaired Driving
Visible, effective enforcement is one of the very best ways to fight impaired driving, he says. If people believe they will be caught, they are far less likely to offend.
"Over 40 percent of respondents in a poll we did a couple of years ago said they'd been stopped by police in the past year to check for impaired driving. When the chance of being caught is 40 percent, the police are doing a very good job."
In that Canada Safety Council poll only one in 10 correctly answered that over 75 percent of charges result in convictions. Yet of all criminal charges, impaired driving has the highest conviction rate - 76 percent nationally in 2000-2001, including guilty pleas and those found guilty after trial.
What Happens to Drunk Drivers
In most provinces and territories, drivers are subject to licence suspensions if they are caught driving with a BAC of 0.05, or refuse to provide a sample.
For blood alcohol offenses, the Criminal Code kicks in at 0.08. Therien doubts most Canadians realize a criminal conviction for impaired driving could ruin a person's life.
A criminal record will follow you for the rest of your life. Employers (and potential employers), police, insurance agents and customs agents can access this information. A conviction for driving with a BAC of 0.08 or over carries the same social stigma as murder, rape or armed robbery.
Your insurance premiums will skyrocket. That is, if your insurance company will renew your policy. Other drivers in your household could be penalized with similar increases, and any injuries you sustained or damage to your vehicle in the incident will not be covered.
You will lose your freedom. Your driver's licence will be suspended for a minimum of a year. You will likely go to prison if it's not your first offence. You may be refused entry to other countries due to your criminal record.
It will cost you a lot. The minimum fine is $600 for a first offense. It goes up from there. Then add lawyer's fees that could go over $10,000 depending on the circumstances.
Your employment opportunities will be limited. A criminal record can prevent you from obtaining certain positions. If you drove on your job you may have to look for another job.
If you kill or injure someone, the penalties compound - up to life in prison for impaired driving causing death. You could also be open to a negligence lawsuit.
According to a 2001 survey, five million impaired driving trips were taken in one year. Just five per cent of drivers accounted for a stunning 87 percent of these trips. The fight against impaired driving is targeting this small hard core of drinking drivers.
In 2000, road crashes involving an impaired driver killed 864 people and over 3,300 drivers were involved in alcohol-related serious injury crashes.
These facts send a clear message, says Therien. To reduce your chances of dying in an impaired driving crash, never drink and drive - and never ride with a driver who has been drinking.
May 11, 2002
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