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RoadSmart
Report | May, 2002
Getting
tough on drinking and driving
Spring
brings with it a deadly trend in Saskatchewan. As the weather improves,
the number of people dying in traffic crashes also increases. The cause
appears to be an increase in high-risk driving behaviour in the spring.
“Unfortunately,
the high-risk behaviour of drinking and driving remains the number one
contributing factor in fatal collisions in Saskatchewan,” said Phyllis
Glowatsky, SGI’s Manager of Driver Programs. “SGI is continuously
working on solutions to help resolve this serious traffic safety issue.”
“If
you choose to drive after drinking, and you’re lucky enough to avoid
a collision causing injury or death, there are serious consequences if
you are stopped by law enforcement officers,” Glowatsky added.
Getting
caught
Drivers
with a probationary licence who are found to be operating a vehicle after
having consumed any amount of alcohol will receive a 30-day driver’s
licence suspension and be required to take a Driving Without Impairment
(DWI) course within 90 days.
Drivers
with a regular licence who are found to have a blood alcohol level of over
.04 will automatically receive a 24-hour licence suspension for their first
offence. A second offence carries with it a 24-hour licence suspension
and a requirement to take a Driving Without Impairment (DWI) course within
90 days.
Any
driver found to have a blood alcohol level of over .08 or charged with
refusal to provide a breath sample will receive an immediate 90-day driver’s
licence suspension. After serving an immediate 24-hour suspension, the
driver will have seven days to get their affairs in order and then their
driver’s licence will be suspended for 90 days.
Getting
convicted
Driver’s
licence suspension periods apply if you are convicted of driving with a
blood alcohol level over .08, impaired driving or failure to provide a
breath sample.
In
Sasaktchewan, the first conviction of any of the above offences will result
in a driver’s licence suspension period of one year. A second offence
results in a three-year licence suspension and any subsequent offence results
in a five year licence suspension.
Fines
for these offences start at $600, with no maximum.
If
you are at fault for a collision while driving impaired, you also have
no insurance coverage for the damage to your vehicle and you have no insurance
coverage for damage you cause to others vehicles or property.
Getting
back on the road
Before
a driver’s licence can be reinstated, the driver must attend an addiction
screening and assessment, and complete any education and recovery program
recommended by their addiction counsellor. The addiction screening and
education or recovery program is mandatory. Drivers cannot simply wait
until their suspension period is over to get their licence back.
First-time
drinking and driving offenders who have successfully completed their required
addiction screening and all education and recovery programs may be eligible
to participate in the Ignition Interlock Program.
An
ignition interlock is an alcohol sensing device that prevents a driver
from starting their vehicle if the device detects any amount of alcohol
in the driver’s system. The minimum one-year driver’s licence
suspension can be reduced to three months if an eligible first-time offender
participates in the program.
“While
new initiatives and legislation can be introduced to combat the problem,
it’s up to drivers to decide not to get behind the wheel after drinking,” Glowatsky
added. “Perhaps giving some thought to the legal consequences of drinking
and driving will make the decidsion a little easier.”
Contact:
Phyllis Glowatsky, Manager
Driver
Programs
SGI
Regina
(306) 775-6180
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