On Monday, the Ontario government proposed a set of new and updated driving laws on any drug-impaired driver. The reason for the change is to modernize the current laws to be harsher, stronger and include drugs in their enforcement. The Federal government is planning legalization on July 1, 2018. As such, these new drug-impaired driver laws will keep Ontario roads safe. While they won’t go into effect immediately, they will be discussed and voted upon in the coming weeks and months. Depending on your driving situation, it is important to know these changes and how they will impact you.
YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED DRIVERS
For young (under 21) or inexperienced drivers, those with a G1, G2, M1 or M2 licence, there are strict rules being proposed. If you have ANY alcohol or drugs in your system, you will face a licence suspension up to 30 days. There will also be a fine ranging from $250 to $450. The current law stipulates a 24-hour suspension and no fine.
COMMERCIAL DRIVERS
A completely new law will target commercial drivers. For any commercial driver, they must not have any alcohol or drugs in their system. Failing that, they will face three-day licence suspensions and a fine between $250 and $450. It’s a significant change because there is no previous law that targets commercial drivers. With the growth of commercial driving businesses such as Uber, it’s crucial for everyone’s safety that they live up to higher standards.
ANY DRUG-IMPAIRED DRIVER
For drivers not specifically targeted with these proposed changes, an overreaching change will apply to them. Any drug-impaired driver, who tests as a fail or warn through a roadside test will get a fine between $250 and $450. If you refuse to take the test, the fine increases to $550. Currently, the law includes a $198 fine.
While these proposed drug-impaired driver laws are a good start, they are only the beginning. Once the government legalizes marijuana, they will also introduce new penalties for drivers. More changes are likely to modernize current laws to include drug use as well. DUI, or Driving Under the Influence is something that all drivers are likely aware of. It is a criminal offence to be operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol with a blood-alcohol level over 0.08. If you are guilty of a DUI, you will be labeled as a high risk driver. High risk insurance https://isure.cais often expensive and harder to get than normal insurance. If you have a DUI or are a high risk driver, consider a high risk auto insurance quote from us to see if you could save money on your car insurance! We compare the rates of dozens of Ontario insurers to get you the best price for the best coverage!
POLICE EQUIPMENT TO TEST A DRUG-IMPAIRED DRIVER
In the coming months, the Ontario government is going to work with law enforcement to discuss drug-impaired drivers. They will be focusing on enforcement and tools to enforce. Ontario’s Minister of Transportation is going to be approving a saliva screening device. One that is being tested by the federal government is the Alere DDS2 Mobile Test System. Once police officers are trained on the device, they’ll be able to determine the number of drugs in someone’s system.
