Remedial Program Reduces Impaired Driving

Of the 12,000 people who have attended Back on Track, Ontario's Remedial Measures Program, since April 1999, only one has returned to the program due to a subsequent conviction, according to a preliminary survey of the participants of the program managed by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) on behalf of the Ministry of Health.

When the program first began, there were fears that offenders would resent it due to its mandatory nature. However, most participants surveyed (86%) indicate they find it very helpful, the information provided useful and the program facilitators excellent.

Under Ontario's Highway Traffic Act, any person convicted of a drinking and driving offence in Ontario will automatically have his or her driver's licence suspended. For offences on or after September 30, 1998, the Act requires convicted impaired drivers to successfully complete the Back on Track program before their licence can be reinstated. All participants take part in a one-hour initial assessment, based on which they are assigned to either education or treatment.

The eight-hour education program covers: how alcohol and other drugs affect driving performance and safety; the legal and personal consequences of an impaired driving conviction; and ways to avoid to drinking and driving. The 16-hour treatment program helps participants to: learn about, and take responsibility for, their alcohol and drug use and its consequences; commit to reducing or stopping problem use of alcohol and drugs; plan to avoid relapses and make healthier choices; and avoid drinking and driving.
The program includes a follow-up interview six months after the completion of the education or treatment program before a driver's licence can be reinstated. The 30-minute interview assesses the participant's success in meeting goals and reinforces the strategies for avoiding drinking and driving developed during the program.

While the Centre is conducting a comprehensive five-year evaluation of Back on Track, the preliminary low recidivism rate is in keeping with other research, which indicates that the remedial measures programs are successful in reducing the number of convictions for impaired driving, particularly when combined with licensing sanctions.

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, December 18, 2001

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