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This image is about the "true victim" of damage caused by impaired driving. About 40% of people killed in impaired driving were those with whom the drunken driver caused accident. They don't have any fault and still they suffered.

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This video is an appropriate example of horrific effects of impaired driving in society.
Ethan  Couch is an American teenager who at age 16 killed four people while driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs . He was intoxicated, driving on a restricted license and speeding in a residential area when he lost control, colliding with a group of people assisting another driver with a disabled SUV. Four people were killed in the collision and a total of nine people were injured. The alcohol content in his body was 3 times the allowable limit. This case even led to national debate.

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What jail chaplain said to 'affluenza teen' day before release

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Article on effect of alcohol on drivers and driving performance  

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Article on effect of alcohol on drivers and driving performance  

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This article is based on study done by scientists on the Effects of Alcohol on Drivers and Driving Performance on Straight Road.
The scientists performed a controlled experiment on effects of alcohol on driving  at different blood-alcohol concentrations (BAC) and they found some interesting results.
Higher BAC level induced higher accident rate, which indicated that driving ability was impaired more seriously at higher BAC level.
60% of the 25 participants (15) were more adventurous when drinking driving than normal driving and 24% of them (6) were more cautious.
Under the influence of alcohol, most of drivers tend to be more impulsive and adventurous and their abilities of judgment, vigilance, recognition, reaction, and controlling were impaired obviously.

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This is an image of new Alcohol impaired driving laws in Canada. It clearly differentiates myths from actual facts. This is an official image issued by department of justice Canada. Also it reflects a very important fact - In 2017, there were more than 69,000 impaired driving incidents reported by the police, including almost 3,500 drug-impaired driving incidents. So, nowadays police is very serious about it.

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This video shows all the changes that  the government made in drug impaired driving law a year ago.
We can see that the government is getting strict about it as the punishment and the fines also have been increased.
One major effect was that police officer can demand a breath sample from anyone they stop.

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What you need to know about the new impaired driving laws

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This is an article from royal Canadian mounted police about impaired driving investigations.
It contain information about tests, criminal charges, penalties, suspensions and prohibitions that may imply on person convicted of impaired driving.

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On this page

Tests, criminal charges, penalties, suspensions and prohibitions

Impaired driving applies to all conveyances, including motor vehicles such as cars, trucks, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, etc., boats and even aircraft and railway equipment.

Before, or at, a traffic stop, police officers use their training as well as what they see, hear and smell to look for signs that a driver may have alcohol and/or drugs in their body

If you are, or were within the preceeding 3 hours, operating a conveyance and a police officer has reason to suspect that you have alcohol and/or drugs in your body, a police officer may make a demand on you to:

Provide a sample of your breath, at roadside, on an Approved Screening Device (ASD)

Provide an oral fluid sample, at roadside, on Approved Drug Screening Equipment (ADSE)

Participate in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST)

Failure to comply with the demand will result in criminal charges which carry the same, or greater, penalties as driving while impaired.

After providing a breath or oral fluid sample the results of that test will determine what, if any, further actions are taken. Performing poorly on any of these tests can lead to an arrest.

After an arrest, the driver is typically taken to a police detachment or medical facility to undergo additional testing. Additional testing can be done in the form of an evidentiary breath alcohol test, a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evaluation or a blood sample taken by a trained medical technician.

An Approved Drug Screening Device is not required to enforce drug-impaired driving laws. If the police officer does not have any Approved Drug Screening Equipment available, they are also able to use SFST to determine if they have reasonable grounds to believe a driver is impaired.

Investigative process

Roadside testing - prior to arrest

Under new legislation, a police officer can now demand that a driver provide an oral fluid sample to be tested with an ADSE at the roadside.

If the oral fluid sample gives a positive result, the driver may be arrested and undergo additional testing.

If the oral fluid sample gives a negative result, and the police officer continues to see indications of drug usage, they can demand that the driver participate in a Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST).

If the driver passes the SFST, they are released.

If the driver performs poorly on the SFST, they may be arrested.

If the oral fluid sample gives a negative result, and the police officer doesn't see indicators of impairment, the driver may be released.

Additional testing - after an arrest

Under new legislation, after the suspected drug-impaired driver is arrested, police can proceed in one, or both, of the following ways:

1. A police officer can demand that the impaired driver provide a blood sample.

If, after analysis, the blood sample shows a blood drug concentration over the legal limit the driver is charged with the associated offence.

If, after analysis, the blood sample shows a blood drug concentration under the legal limit, no charges are laid.

2. Demand that the driver undergo a 12-step DRE evaluation at a police detachment.

If, after the evaluation, the police officer determines that the driver is impaired by drugs, a charge can be laid and a bodily fluid sample is taken to confirm the findings of the evaluator.

If, after the evaluation, the police officer determines that the driver is not impaired by alcohol and/or drugs, no charges are laid and no bodily fluid sample is taken.

After being arrested, an officer will advise the driver of their rights, including the right to a lawyer. The right to speak with a lawyer can be exercised before an evidentiary breath test, providing a blood sample, or participating in a 12-step DRE evaluation. However, the ASD, ADSE, and SFST evaluations, performed prior to arrest, are done before speaking with a lawyer.

Other criminal charges

Based on a police officer's observations you can also be charged criminally, under section 320.14 of the Criminal Code of Canada: it is a crime to operate a conveyance while impaired by alcohol or a drug, regardless of additional evaluations confirming specific blood intoxicant concentrations.

Provincial laws also carry additional penalties for impaired driving

Check your Provincial/Territorial laws to determine what additional penalties may be imposed upon you, in addition to any criminal penalties, for impaired driving where you live. These penalties can include such things as administrative costs, licence suspensions, required training to renew your licence, and/or vehicle seizures.

Definitions and explanations

Mandatory alcohol screening

As of December 18, 2018, police no longer require a reasonable suspicion to demand a breath sample from a driver. Anyone operating a motor vehicle who is lawfully stopped by police can be required to provide a breath sample, at the roadside, to detect potential alcohol in their blood. Failure to comply with this demand will also result in criminal charges which carry the same, or greater, penalties as driving while impaired.

The "Warn" range (a blood alcohol content of 50mg% to 80mg%)

An individual who submits a breath sample in the "Warn" range can be subject to administrative penalties such as a roadside suspension or an immediate roadside prohibition.

A "Fail" (a blood alcohol content at or above 80mg%)

An individual who submits a breath sample and registers a "Fail" will be required to provide further breath samples at the police station. A subsequent breath sample that meets-or-exceeds the legal BAC limit of 80 mg% means that the person may be charged under section 320.14 of the Criminal Code of Canada: having a blood alcohol concentration that is equal to or exceeds 80mg% within two hours of ceasing to operate a conveyance.

Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST)

If you are, or within the preceeding 3 hours were, in the driver's seat/position of any car, truck, ATV, boat, aircraft, etc. (whether it is in motion or not) and a police officer reasonably suspects you have consumed alcohol, drugs or a combination of alcohol and drugs, the police officer may make a demand of you to submit to a Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST).

A SFST test is typically administered roadside and consists of a police officer putting a conveyance operator through a series of standardized sobriety tests.

Based on a police officer's observations you can also be charged criminally, under section 320.14 of the Criminal Code of Canada, regardless of you submitting to a SFST demand.

Failure, or refusal, to comply with the SFST demand can also result in criminal charges that carry the same, or greater, penalties as impaired driving.

Drug Recognition Expert Evaluation

The evaluation includes sobriety tests that are similar to the SFST's, taking clinical indicators (blood pressure, body temperature, pulse, etc.) and measuring your pupil size in different lighting conditions. If, at the conclusion of the evaluation the officer forms the opinion that your ability to operate a motor vehicle is impaired by one, or more, categories of drugs, you will be charged under section 320.14 of the Criminal Code of Canada.

Refusal to undertake the evaluation or quitting at any time will result in criminal charges that have the same, or greater, penalties as driving while impaired by alcohol.

At the conclusion of the drug evaluation, if the evaluator determines that you are impaired and that the impairment is the result of one or more category of drugs, or a combination of alcohol and drugs, you will be given a demand to provide a bodily fluid sample (blood, oral fluid or urine). The sample is to confirm the findings of the evaluator and the choice of the sample is made by the evaluator.

Failure to provide the sample will result in criminal charges that have the same, or greater penalties as impaired driving.

Related links

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Impaired driving applies to all conveyances, including motor vehicles such as cars, trucks, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, etc., boats and even aircraft and railway equipment.

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This image briefly summaries impaired driving - what is it, how is it caused, what are its effects and how it can be stopped or reduced.

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Informative video about impaired driving

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Informative video about impaired driving

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This is a factual video on impaired driving. This video shows factual information about impaired driving like how driving under influence (DUI) is related. It also answers frequently asked questions about impaired driving and laws related to it.

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MADD Canada is the Canadian arm of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Its stated purpose is to stop impaired driving and to support victims. MADD Canada operates public awareness and education programs which focus on stopping impaired driving. Local activities are carried out by chapters in approximately 100 communities across Canada.
This is very important website as no one can understand the harms impaired driving can cause to childrens better than mothers.
The organization also supports a number of federal and provincial initiatives aimed at reducing incidents of impaired driving, including changes to Criminal Code provisions against drunk driving, and a zero blood alcohol content limit for drivers under 21

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MADD Canada's mission is to stop impaired driving and to support victims of this violent crime. If you need support, call us: 1-800-665-6233 Victim/Survivor Stories More Victim/Survivor stories What's new More