Drinking and driving is a hot topic, gaining momentum from several tragic incidents with devastating results. We seem to read about it far too often with a sense of helplessness and regret.
MADD Canada estimates there are somewhere between 1,350 and 1,600 impaired crash fatalities in Canada each year (3.7-4.4 deaths per day) according to 2007 statistics. Those numbers have only grown with the population and urbanization of our city. Have you seen Ottawa's rush hour lately? We definitely have more cars on the road…
Police officers arrest drunk drivers on a regular basis, which increases as the holiday season approaches. We use the Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) program throughout the city, with officers like myself bundled up standing in the cold as police nets come down across our roadways.
I personally have made close to one hundred impaired driving arrests in my career. And out of those, I can distinctly remember only two suspects who admitted to being drunk and apologized for their actions. Which leaves about 98% of my clients repeating, "I'm not drunk", "It was only two beers", “I pay your salary”, and "Don't you have something better to do?”
But perceptions of drunk driving are changing. If you talk to a retired member of our community they’ll share stories of how drinking and driving was a past time down old country roads. But talk to the youth of today, and they’ll tell you everything bad about mixing alcohol and driving a car.
As these perceptions change, our laws have become stricter. Ontario and BC currently holds the title of most strict in Canada, with an automatic three month driving suspension if caught with a blood alcohol level over .08. Those with evidence of alcohol between .05 to .08 will be issued a three-day driving suspension, fined, and have their vehicle towed from the scene.
It comes down to personal judgment, and we’ve all made mistakes in that department.
So the magic question becomes: “How much can I have to drink?”
And the answer is: “It depends!”
Body weight and alcohol concentration play the biggest factor in determining your blood alcohol level. This is different from your alcohol tolerance level, of course. I once arrested a man who appeared almost normal with an alcohol level of .325! It was his fourth time being arrested for impaired driving and had become and expert at it.
When you get stopped this holiday season during a RIDE program, be prepared to roll down your window. Police officers want to smell your breath (don’t try to kiss them!), and despite popular belief, chewing breath mints, pennies, and your left arm, will not prevent officers from detecting the odor of alcohol on your breath.
If you are clearly impaired or blow a FAIL (over .08 alcohol reading) into the roadside screening device, you’ll be arrested and transported to a police station where an alcohol specialized police officer will take your true and accurate reading for court. Failure to provide a breath sample at any stage will result in an automatic assumption that you’re impaired (to be proven in court).
The holiday season is my favorite time of year, everyone seems to be in a great mood; my kind of people! I really do enjoy buying gifts for everyone, and getting fat over a meal with family and friends. But the sad reality is that someone will lose their loved one this Christmas at the hands of a drunk driver who feels they’re not drunk.
There’s nothing wrong with having a drink or two, but please plan ahead and don’t drive.