Increased Impaired Driving Charges Over Holiday Season Show Strong Need for Random Breath Testing in Canada
(firmenpresse) - OAKVILLE, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 01/04/12 -- The high numbers of people charged with impaired driving during 2011 holiday sobriety checkpoints show the need for random breath testing in Canada is stronger than ever, says MADD Canada.
"Clearly, a lot of people still are not getting the message," said MADD Canada's National President Denise Dubyk. "The numbers being reported by municipal and regional police forces show high numbers of impaired driving charges and warn range suspensions. In many cases, the numbers are higher than last year's campaigns."
A snapshot of the 2011 sobriety checkpoints:
MADD Canada is grateful to the police forces and officers across the country who took thousands of impaired drivers off the roads this holiday season, and to the millions of Canadians who made the safe and responsible choices.
"Unfortunately, the checkpoint numbers show that a high number of people are still driving impaired," Ms. Dubyk said. "These drivers still think the likelihood of getting caught is low and so they take the chance. That's why the need for random breath testing is stronger than ever."
MADD Canada is renewing its call for the Government of Canada to introduce random breath testing legislation in order to significantly reduce impaired driving. Random breath testing was recommended by the Federal Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights in 2009.
"MADD Canada has done a great deal of research and analysis on random breath testing," Ms. Dubyk said. "This is a tool that will save about 248 lives and prevent about 14,624 injuries every year, and it will save Canada about $4.3 billion annually."
Such a law would give police the ability to demand a breath test from any driver, increasing the likelihood of detection and thereby enhancing the deterrent effect of the law. The problem with the existing law is that it is not an effective deterrent for impaired driving. The likelihood of an impaired driver ever being stopped under the current law, let alone convicted, is extremely low. Survey, criminal charge and criminal conviction data from 2006 indicate that a person would have to drive impaired, on average, once a week, every week, for more than 3 years before being charged with an impaired driving offence, and for over 6 years before ever being convicted.
"If impaired drivers think there is a higher chance they will be caught, they are less likely to do it," said Ms. Dubyk."
Random breath testing has been introduced in the great majority of comparable, developed democracies, resulting in sustained reductions in impaired driving crashes, fatalities and injuries.
Given Canada's poor record with impaired driving, it is clear more needs to be done. Impaired driving killed 1,074 Canadians in 2009 and injured about 303,850 in 2009.
"We have one of the worst records on impaired driving in the world," Ms. Dubyk said. "The deaths and injuries caused by impaired driving are entirely preventable. It is time for Canada to take a stronger stand against impaired driving. Canada needs random breath testing legislation now."
About MADD Canada
MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is a national, charitable organization that is committed to stopping impaired driving and supporting the victims of this violent crime. With volunteer-driven groups in more than 100 communities across Canada, MADD Canada aims to offer support services to victims, heighten awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and save lives and prevent injuries on our roads. For more information, visit .
Also, see the Random Breath Testing page on MADD Canada's web site at .
Contacts:
MADD Canada
Denise Dubyk
National President
403-970-8733
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Datum: 04.01.2012 - 20:56 Uhr
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News-ID 101173
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