11 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association Alcohol Before the automobile was invented, the excessive use of alcohol caused more harm to the individual than to anyone else. Now they have at their disposal a two ton weapon – the motor vehicle! Special studies show that in 50% of fatal accidents at least one driver had been drinking – often excessively. Even small amounts of alcohol can have a dangerous effect on your behaviour. One drink alone can reduce a driver’s ability to concentrate, to correctly assess unexpected situations, and to react quickly enough. As the level of alcohol in your blood increases, you will have trouble judging distances and your vision will become blurred. Impaired driving is a criminal offence. If your ability to drive is impaired by alcohol or drugs, you can be convicted of a number of offences under the Highway Traffic Act and/or the Criminal Code of Canada. The vehicle doesn’t even have to be moving: you can be charged even if you haven’t started to drive (have care or control of a motor vehicle). The law is tough on impaired drivers. If you are found guilty of impaired driving, you will get a criminal record. Think about it. It doesn’t take a lot of alcohol in your system to be impaired. The law sets the legal limit at 50mg or more of alcohol in 100mL of blood. You can reach that limit by having only a drink or two, depending on body weight, the amount of alcohol in the drinks, time and other factors. The best rule to follow is “if you drink, don’t drive”. The law applies to all types of motorized vehicles – cars, motorcycles, trucks, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, heavy equipment, boats and the like. If the police suspect that you are impaired when they stop you, they may ask you at the road Impaired Driving side, for a breath sample to test the amount of alcohol in your blood, or you may be taken to the police station to be tested. If your blood alcohol concentration is 50mg or more of alcohol in 100mL of blood, your driver’s licence will be suspended for 24 hours. If you can’t physically give a breath sample, the police officer can ask you to let a doctor take blood samples to see if you’re over the legal limit. These samples may also be taken by a nurse or hospital technician under a doctor’s authority. If you are injured and cannot be asked, the police, with the permission of a judge, can ask a doctor to take blood samples. If you submit to a blood test, you have the right to have one of the samples tested independently If you refuse to give a breath or blood sample, you will be charged with refusal. The penalties are the same as for impaired driving. Penalties Under the provincial regulations for impaired driving, new suspension periods have been established. A driver charged under the Highway Traffic Act can be suspended from 24 hours up to 90 days. As well, a driver convicted of impaired driving can be suspended from driving for periods of 12 months for a first offence and up to 60 months for a subsequent offence. For Novice Drivers there are also specific penalties for periods of suspension if the driver exceeds the zero tolerance regulations. 24 Hour Suspensions under the Highway Traffic Act: continued ...
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