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December 2011

Alberta Introduces Stiffer Drinking and Driving Penalties

Alberta’s new, comprehensive impaired driving legislation aims to keep drivers who drink from getting behind the wheel by changing behaviours through enforcement balanced with education, prevention and monitoring. Bill 26, the Traffic Safety Amendment Act, 2011, was passed on December 6 to reduce collisions and needless deaths and injuries on Alberta’s roads.

The new law takes an integrated approach that builds on existing sanctions and education programs. The law reserves the strongest sanctions for repeat offenders and those who are criminally impaired with blood-alcohol content (BAC) over .08. It also expands existing sanctions for drivers impaired with BAC from .05 up to .08. Repeat offenders will face progressively harsher penalties with each offence. Accompanying changes will also be made to regulatory sanctions for new drivers who are found with any BAC in their system.

The new legislation focuses on creating stronger, safer communities and roads. An estimated 22 per cent of drivers in fatal collisions in Alberta last year had consumed some alcohol. Alcohol-related collisions resulted in 569 fatalities and 8,535 injuries over the last five years in Alberta.

More information: www.transportation.alberta.ca

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