New Brunswick is cracking down on drunk driving with new penalties that will make it harder for offenders to get back on the road.
Proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act were announced Thursday, including:
- 24-hour roadside suspension if the driver is deemed unfit
- $230 licence reinstatement fee if convicted
- Mandatory alcohol ignition interlock device program
- Extending the look back period for a driver's abstract from seven to 10 years
“Essentially if the officer makes the determination that the individual is unsafe for the road and he or she has the ability to remove the driver for 24 hours, that's good. That is very good," says Deputy Chief Martin Gaudet of the Fredericton Police Force.
Danielle Cole, vice-president of the Fredericton chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, successfully lobbied the provincial governmentfor the changes.
Her vehicle was hit by an impaired driver four-and-a-half years ago.
“At least I can feel like I've done something positive from the negative event,” says Cole.
The tougher new measures put New Brunswick at the front of the pack when it comes to alcohol-related impaired driving laws. Nova Scotia is lagging behind, as it doesn’t yet have a 24-hour roadside suspension.
Both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are also the only two provinces in the country that lacks any provincial drug-impaired driving laws. MADD Canada's CEO says that should be Nova Scotia and New Brunswick’s priority with the legalization of marijuana just over 10 months away.
“We don't want anybody on the roads, whether it's drinking and driving or using drugs, we want our roads safe,” says New Brunswick Deputy Premier Stephen Horsman.
But Horsman wouldn’t go further, instead saying government will take it into consideration if the federal government opts to lower the breath sample from 0.8 to 0.5.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Laura Brown.
