VICTORIA – The British Columbia government announced a tough new drinking-and-driving law Tuesday that will allow police to immediately fine and suspend drivers caught with a blood-alcohol level as low as 0.05.
Solicitor General Mike de Jong said the new law is meant to dramatically change the behaviour of drivers throughout the province.
"We believe we need penalties that are clear, swift and severe," he said, adding the problem of impaired driving in B.C. has been getting worse in recent years.
"It’s not OK to put other people’s lives at risk and I hope that drivers will consider the seriousness of these sanctions while they’re sober, before they go out," he added.
Under the proposed law, drivers found to have a blood-alcohol level of between 0.05 and 0.08 – the so-called "warn" range – will face an immediate three-day driving ban, possible vehicle impoundment and fines or related fees of up to $600. Those caught in this warning range multiple times will face a driving ban of up to 30 days and fines or fees of up to $800.
At present, police generally issue a 24-hour suspension for people caught driving with a blood-alcohol level between 0.05 and 0.08.
According to an online calculator provided by the Canadian Automobile Association, a 120-pound woman who has two glasses of wine in two hours would be above 0.05.
A 180-pound man would reach that level after four beers over the same time, the CAA calculator said.
The new law also adds significant penalties for people caught with blood-alcohol level above 0.08 – the level at which drinking and driving becomes an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada.
Drivers caught above this level will face an immediate 90-day driving ban and related costs of $3,750. That amount includes a fine, a driver’s-licence reinstatement fee, the cost of a mandatory Responsible Driver Program, a towing and impoundment fee, and the cost of an ignition interlock device, which the offender must use for one year.
The driver may also face criminal charges, especially if the infraction involves injuries or a crash.
"Under the new laws, drinking drivers will spend more money, more time, more effort earning back their driving privileges," said de Jong.
"It will be very, very expensive to reacquire driving privileges," he added.
On Tuesday, Premier Gordon Campbell underscored the importance of the new rules, adding he’d learned a harsh lesson in 2003 while vacationing in Hawaii, when he was arrested for drunk driving.
"The lesson that I learned, and hopefully the lesson that (Liberal MLA) Jane (Thornthwaite) will learn, is that you should not be drinking and driving, period," Campbell said Tuesday.
Thornthwaite was charged with drinking and driving during the Olympics.
"I think it’s important for us to do everything we can to make our streets as safe as possible for people," Campbell said, adding he’s not had a drink since his arrest in 2003.
The bill received immediate support from the Opposition New Democratic Party.
"We think this legislation is the right approach," said NDP public-safety critic Mike Farnworth.
"People should not be drinking and driving," he added. "It’s not acceptable."
The bill’s introduction came as good news to Laurel and Michael Middelaer, parents of four-year-old Alexa, who was killed in the Vancouver suburb of Delta in May 2008 by an accused impaired driver. The girl was struck while she fed horses in a field.
Not long after de Jong introduced the bill Tuesday, Laurel Middelaer threw her arms around the minister and whispered in his ear: "Gutsy, very gutsy."
Speaking later to reporters, she said she is happy with the new legislation.
"This does provide a real hope and I have to say today has been really inspiring," Laurel Middelaer said.
"We wanted B.C. to be the leaders in Canada and they’ve taken the torch, and I applaud that."
During a speech on the steps of the legislature, de Jong said that in memory of Alexa, the province is setting a goal to reduce alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by 35 per cent by the end of 2013, the year Alexa would have turned 10.
RCMP Insp. Mike Diack, of RCMP traffic services, said Tuesday that 130 people die every year in B.C. because of impaired driving.
The bill, which is expected to take effect this fall, has numerous other supporters.
"These changes will make a fundamental difference on driver behaviour," said Andrew Murie, CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Dr. Roy Purssell, head of emergency medicine at Vancouver General Hospital, said he sees numerous drunk-driving-related injuries and deaths each year and strongly supports the new rules.
"I’m so pleased that they’ve done this," said Purssell.
"This will save lives. No doubt about it."
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