It's Not Just the Drunk Drivers

To most people, impaired driving means driving a vehicle on the road after consuming alcohol. However, as progress is made in the fight against drunk driving, other issues are emerging.

Off-road Vehicles

The penalties for impaired driving also apply to operators of off-road and recreational vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and boats. Although the scope of the problem is not well known, recent data suggest a serious problem. In 1998, 60 per cent of off-road vehicle operators killed in crashes had been drinking. Statistics for 1997 show that 71 per cent of fatally injured snowmobilers and 55 per cent of fatally injured boaters were impaired.

Education and training are available for recreational vehicle users. For example, the Canada Safety Council provides training for riders of snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles. These programs focus on the "don't drink and ride" message while helping riders improve their skills. It is very hard to enforce the law for off-road vehicles. Nevertheless, effective prevention and detection programs must be put in place to stop the alarming increase in off-road fatalities.

Pedestrians and Cyclists

There appears to be little public discussion or awareness of impaired pedestrians and cyclists, yet 43 per cent of fatally injured pedestrians and 21 per cent of fatally injured cyclists were impaired, according to a study sponsored by Transport Canada, The Alcohol-Crash Problem in Canada: 1998. More effort needs to be directed at this problem, as few programs currently exist.

Other Substances

The Canadian Society of Forensic Study found that substances other than alcohol were a contributing factor in 10 to 20 per cent of vehicle crashes in 1990. A recent Quebec survey found that drug use was more than seven per cent more prevalent that alcohol use. These findings raise cause for concern regarding drivers who are impaired by medications and illicit drugs.

As Canada's population ages, the use of prescription and over-the-counter medications will increase. More research and more education are required.

The Canada Safety Council was a sponsor of the "Strategies to Reduce Impaired Driving" (STRID) Conference held in Vancouver, BC, October 12-14 2000, at which these issues were identified as future priorities.

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