As of April 9, 2018, the new impaired driving laws in Alberta have come in to effect. This will hopefully deter impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel, leaving the rest of us feeling a little safer on the road. It is important to also mention, as some people are not aware, that impaired means both drunk or high.
Check your licence to see if you are under the GDL program before reading the guidelines. I got my licence in 2004, and this was the first year the GDL program came into effect. I was given very little information on how the program worked, as not many people really knew enough about the program to pass the information on, and was very surprised a few years ago to realize that I still had it on my licence! I was under the impression that it would become a regular licence if I had no tickets or suspensions for 2+ years – wrong! To upgrade to a full Class 5 licence, you need to pass another road test! More info on the process can be found here.
In preparation to the legalization of cannabis, the laws have been changed to include the use of them as impairment. With a GDL licence, the tolerance for alcohol or any type of drug is ZERO. You will get an immediate 30 day suspension, immediate 7 day vehicle seizure, and the criminal impairment will be subject to criminal charges.
For everyone else – drivers who are reasonably believed to be impaired, whether through alcohol or drugs of any kind, or who refuse a breath or fluid sample will have an automatic 90 day suspension, an immediate 3 day vehicle suspension, have to take a mandatory course, and have to have a blow box installed into your vehicle at your own cost for an entire year. More info on that (also known as the provincial ignition interlock program) can be found here. If you don’t participate in the interlock program, you remain suspended for an entire year.
It is never worth it to drink and drive. We live in a time where we have all seen or heard of countless lives lost due to drunk/impaired driving. And we all know that some people do make it home safe, and continue to risk getting behind the wheel while impaired because they just don’t think a terrible situation like that will happen to them – so hopefully these new laws will put things in to perspective for everyone. An alternative ride, whether that be with a friend, a cab, an UBER, you name it, for one night, or once a week, or however often you may find yourself needing it, will be a lot less hassle than trying to find rides for you and your family for an entire year. Remember to remind your friends of the new laws, and stay safe!
Wishing everyone a happy and safe Summer on the roads with your families!