Province getting tougher with impaired drivers

Walter Noel, Minister of Government Services and Lands, has introduced a bill which would make Newfoundland and Labrador among the toughest and most progressive Canadian jurisdictions in dealing with impaired drivers.

Measures being proposed include increased driver licence suspension periods, vehicle seizure and impoundment, and introduction of an ignition interlock pilot project.

Minister Noel said: "Our goal is to reduce the carnage and cost of impaired driving. These initiatives, along with our proposed ban on the use of hand-held cell phones by drivers, will help reduce the number of accidents and deaths on our highways and control the ever increasing cost of automobile insurance.

The bill calls for the following suspension periods: 12 months, in the case of a first conviction; 36 months, in the case of a second conviction within 10 years after the first conviction; 60 months, in the case of a third conviction within 10 years; and, suspension for life, in the case of a fourth conviction within 10 years. A new 10-year suspension for impaired driving causing bodily harm and a new lifetime suspension for those convicted of impaired driving causing death are also being proposed.

In addition to existing sanctions, the bill calls for a new 90-day administrative suspension when a driver has a blood alcohol content of .08 or greater. This suspension, which would be issued by a peace officer at roadside, would come into effect 14 days after issuance.

The bill also allows for the making of regulations to provide for automatic seizure and impoundment of a motor vehicle when a peace officer has reason to believe that a person is operating it while under suspension.

Minister Noel said: "The new suspension periods will come into effect around October.Other measures, including interlock and seizure and impoundment, will become effective before the end of the fiscal year. These time frames are based on administrative and technical changes that have to be made by our Motor Registration Division.

"When the details of the ignition interlock pilot project are finalized, it will be awarded under the Public Tender Act. It will be a user-pay system. Those who use it will pay the cost, not taxpayers."

An alcohol ignition interlock system is a device designed to detect alcohol in breath and any detection of alcohol would stop a vehicle from starting. Those who participate in this voluntary project will be eligible to apply for reinstatement of a driver�s licence at an earlier date.

The minister said: "I want to thank the Impaired Driving Committee for the work they have done and the recommendations they made. This bill is largely the result of their efforts."

The Impaired Driving Committee consisted of representatives from, the Newfoundland and Labrador Safety Council, the Department of Health and Community Services, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, the Department of Government Services and Lands, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Department of Human Resources and Employment, the Crown Prosecutor�s Office of the Department of Justice, the Civil Law Division of the Department of Justice and. Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Media contact: Rick Callahan, Communications, (709) 729-4860.

2002 05 10                                  1:05 p.m.