Three Hills RCMP are prepared to do their part so roads are safe from impaired drivers during the holiday season.
The Mounties in Three Hills will be putting particular focus on impaired driving during December.
According to a press release, the detachment is well equipped with officers trained in the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, which provides enhanced skills in detecting alcohol and drug impairment. The detachment is also well equipped with roadside screening devices to detect a multitude of substances that may cause impairment.
The RCMP notes drivers should be aware of new legislation passed in the last few years, provincially and federally to make roads safer.
As of December 2018 and the passing of Bill C-46, mandatory alcohol screening in Canada became law. This means police officers can demand any lawfully stopped driver provide a preliminary breath sample to test for alcohol without reasonable suspicion the driver has alcohol in their body. This means if you are pulled over or at a check stop, you can expect to provide a breath sample.
“In December 2020, a total of 560 impaired drivers were removed from the roads,” says Supt. Gary Graham, Alberta RCMP Traffic Services.
In December 2020, Bill 21 became law in Alberta and it includes changes to the Immediate Roadside Sanction (IRS) program. This provides immediate and escalating consequences for impaired drivers
Increased impaired driving consequences under the new IRS Program include driver’s licence suspensions of 15 months for the first offence, longer for repeat offenders; first offence fines of $1,000, with increasing fines for repeat offenders, vehicle seizure of 30 days, mandatory education programs for offenders, drivers can pay for the Ignition Interlock Program (IIP) after 90 days of suspension with extended periods of IIP for repeat offenders, and depending on the circumstances, criminal code charges can still be laid by the police officer.
