Drinking and Driving and the Consequences of Impaired Driving

by D.Clow – Maryland

Drinking and Driving and the Consequences of Impaired Driving

Drinking and driving is a deadly combination. Drinking and driving means impaired driving. What happens when a driver is impaired their ability to operate a vehicle is affected by alcohol or drugs, and these type of behavior falls under Criminal Code Of Canada, and anyone convicted can go to jail, get fined or face license suspension.

A person can be charged if caught behind the wheel. Person really does not have to drive to get charged. When people drink they loose concentration and reduce ability to react to sudden hazards on the road. If you are planning on drinking, plan not to drive.

Now Ontario has the toughest law in North America combating drinking and driving. One of the toughest laws is road side license suspension. If you refuse breath test your license will be suspended on the spot, and you need to arrange alternate driving arrangement to reach home As of MAY 1ST 2009, Ontario has targeted measures to help take more impaired drivers off the roads. Drivers who register a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) from 0.05 to 0.08 (which means there is 50 milligrams of alcohol in every 100 milliliters of blood).0.05 to 0.08 is called “warn range” and driver can lose their license at roadside 3,7 or 30 days. Consequences get tougher for repeat occurrences. The record stays 5 years in the file.

If your BAC is more than 0.08, or fail to refuse or comply with alcohol or drug testing, you can be convicted under the criminal code and Ontario Traffic Acts. Driving related Criminal Code Conviction remains on a driver’s record for at least 10 years. Regardless of whether the vehicle is rented, leased or loaned to a friend or family member, the vehicle will be impounded. The vehicle owner will be liable for all towing and impoundment costs. It will be impounded for 45 days. If individual drives under suspension for a Criminal Code driving offences face fines up to $ 5000 to $ 50000.

But a Novice driver should have only 0 BAC to avoid immediate License suspension. Drinking and Driving affects everyone through deaths, Injuries and personal tragedies. It also affects or hurts our economy through added cost in heath care, emergency responses and property damage. $ 3 billion annually cost to society for Drinking and driving. As per Government of Ontario 17000 drivers are convicted every year of Criminal Code of Canada offences. 25% of fatalities on the road comes from Drunk Drivers.

Facts of Consuming Alcohol

BAC or blood alcohol Concentration is alcohol in your blood. BAC is used to measure alcohol in your blood or measure your impairment. In Ontario and rest of Canada. The maximum Legal BAC for fully licensed drivers is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood(0.08). Driving with more than 0.08 is a criminal code. BAC levels are affected based on alcohol consumed quickly will result in a higher BAC than when consumed over a long period of time. For women have less water and more body fat per pound of body weight than men. Alcohol does go into fat cells as easily as other cells, so more alcohol remains in the blood of women. Body weight is another factor the more you weigh , the more water is present in your body. This water dilutes the alcohol and lower s the BAC. Absorption is slowed if you’ve something to eat. Now the question is How Much Can I Drink Before I reach 0.05, I would recommend not to drink if you have to drive or arrange alternatives to stay out of trouble.

As Of May 1ST 2009, If you get caught under the” warn range” police can immediately suspend your license up to Three days for First occurrence, seven days for second occurrence and 30 days for third or subsequent occurrence. And first 2 occurrences you pay $ 150 dollars Fine. Third time Mandatory alcohol treatment, ignition interlock license condition and $ 150 administrative monetary penalty and subsequent infractions only addition of Mandatory Medical Evaluation along with everything else you had in third time. Drinking and driving is not a smart Idea. Drink but make alternate arrangement to reach home.