Impaired Driving

According to MADD Canada, ten possible signs of impaired driving are:

1. Driving unreasonably fast, slow, or at an inconsistent speed
2. Drifting in and out of lanes
3. Tailgating and changing lanes frequently
4. Making exceptionally wide turns
5. Changing lanes or passing without sufficient clearance
6. Overshooting or stopping well before stop signs or stop lights
7. Disregarding signals and lights
8. Approaching signals or leaving intersections too quickly or slowly
9. Driving without headlights, failing to lower high beams, or leaving turn signals on
10. Driving with windows open in cold or inclement weather

An officer can arrest for impaired based on an assessment of driving and physical evidence. Officers may also conduct roadside testing to assist in the formation of grounds.

Mandatory Alcohol Screening: Upon conducting a lawful traffic stop, an officer in possession of a roadside screening device may make a valid breath demand and require the driver to participate in a roadside breath test.

Regardless of whether you have been drinking or not, an officer has the authority to demand a breath sample of any person that is currently driving or occupying the driver's seat of a vehicle. The process of providing a roadside sample also requires that the officer has the screening device with them. The process of providing a breath sample is brief and only takes a few minutes.

Refusing a demand for a breath sample is a criminal offence, whether you have been drinking or not. Upon conviction, you could face the same penalties as if you had been driving over the legal BAC limit. In addition to the criminal charge, your licence will be suspended at roadside for 90 days, and the vehicle you are driving will be impounded for seven (7) days.

Impaired driving is impaired driving, whether the impairment is by alcohol or by drug.

If an officer has formed the opinion that a driver is impaired by a drug, then an accredited Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) will be called in to determine if the driver is impaired. The DRE test involves a multi-step evaluation which includes:

• Measuring the driver's blood pressure
• Pupil size
• Body temperature
• Pulse
• Eyes' reaction to light
• Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test
• Vertical Gaze Nystagmus test
• Divided attention tests

The officer will also make a demand for the driver to submit a urine sample. Failing to comply with this demand is also a criminal offence.

If police determine that you are driving while impaired, you will face penalties immediately. You will also face additional consequences later if you are convicted in court. The penalties you face can vary depending on your age, licence type, the amount of alcohol or drugs in your system, and how many times you have been convicted.

Information about the penalties for impaired driving in Ontario can be found on the Ministry of Transportation website.

The RIDE program serves as a deterrent against drunk driving. RIDE spot checks are conducted year round, with increased frequency during the holidays and on long weekends.

According to MADD Canada, every day, on average, four (4) Canadians are killed and 175 are injured in impairment-related crashes.

Plan ahead. Before you head out, know how you are getting home:

• Have a designated driver
• Use public transit
• Call a friend or family member for a ride
• Use taxi, uber, or other ride share service
• Stay overnight

If you drive while impaired, you are putting your own life and the life of others at risk.

The effects of impairment on driving include:

• Increased risk-taking
• Speeding
• Recklessness
• False sense of confidence and being in control
• Difficulty maintaining a constant speed and trajectory
• Decreased attention
• Impaired judgment
• Altered vision and hearing
• Decreased concentration
• Slower reaction times
• Poor physical coordination
• Drowsiness