High-risk drivers would face stiffer consequences, including increased costs of up to $3,200, for their actions under proposed amendments to the Highway Traffic Act and the Drivers and Vehicles Act. This announcement was made by Attorney General Gord Mackintosh.
“The introduction of the safer roads act sends a strong message that dangerous and illegal driving behaviours, such as driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol or committing other serious driving-related offences that put others at risk, are not acceptable and will not be tolerated,” said Minister Mackintosh. “While Manitoba has made positive progress in reducing impaired-related collisions and deaths, we are committed to going even further in the battle against impaired drivers because even one collision or fatality caused by an impaired driver is one too many.”
The proposed act would result in the following amendments to the Highway Traffic Act that would specifically target drivers who make the choice to drive while impaired:
- Increased immediate roadside driver’s licence suspension for first-time low-blood alcohol concentration (0.05 to 0.08) and drug-impaired offenders to three days from the current 24 hours. The first-time suspension would be further increased to seven days if a person under the age of 16 is in the vehicle at the time of the offence.
- Participation in Manitoba’s Ignition Interlock program would become mandatory for all convicted impaired drivers and would take effect on driver’s licence reinstatement, thereby eliminating the option for impaired drivers to avoid this requirement by delaying licensing once a mandatory period of suspension has been served.
Amendments to the Drivers and Vehicles Act would also require law enforcement officers to notify the Registrar of Motor Vehicles whenever a driver has been charged with a serious driving-related offence so the registrar could quickly invoke driver improvement actions, such as suspending a driver’s licence.
“As first responders, our officers too often see the tragic results of motorists engaged in high-risk driving behaviours,” said Supt. Shahin Mehdizadeh, officer in charge, East District, D Division, RCMP. “Manitoba’s proposed safer road act sends a very clear message to drivers who disregard the safety of residents and motorists in our communities, and ensures that they will face the consequences of their unsafe road decisions.”
Authorizing the registrar to take immediate driver improvement action based on serious driving charges laid by police would be a unique approach among Canadian jurisdictions and would improve road safety by taking immediate action when a driver’s past driving history warrants, Minister Mackintosh said. He added also unique to Manitoba is the proposed extended roadside suspension for alcohol or drug-impaired offences when a person under the age of 16 is in the vehicle, which would further strengthen the government’s commitment to protecting children from harm.
“MADD Canada is pleased the province of Manitoba has taken significant steps in this proposed legislation to reduce the carnage caused by impaired driving,” said Andrew Murie, CEO, MADD Canada. “Manitoba taking steps to ensure children are protected from impaired drivers is an example of innovative legislation that MADD Canada will encourage other provinces to follow.”
To complement these legislation changes, amendments are also being introduced to the Driver Safety Rating regulation administered by Manitoba Public Insurance that would sanction drivers who continue to put themselves and other road users at risk by talking on hand-held electronic devices or texting while driving, Minister Mackintosh said.
With these proposed changes, which would be effective July 1, 2015, drivers convicted of using a hand-held electronic device while driving would drop five levels on the driver safety rating (DSR) scale, the minister said. Currently, such a conviction results in two demerits.
This proposed change would result in drivers with already poor driving records paying as much as $3,200 in additional costs, the minister said. He added that drivers at the top of the DSR scale would incur additional driver costs of $542 over the five years it would take to return to their pre-conviction placement on the scale.
“The prevalence of distracted driving on our roads is equally as disturbing as impaired driving,” said Minister Mackintosh. “On average, 28 people are killed every year in Manitoba due to distracted driving. This is devastating and senseless because texting or talking while driving is 100 per cent preventable.
“These changes are intended to encourage drivers to stop using their hand-held cellphones or texting while driving and to focus their attention on the road ahead.”
Currently, convicted impaired drivers are required to participate in the Ignition Interlock program as a condition of immediate licence reinstatement following mandatory driver’s licence suspension. However, some drivers choose to wait out the mandatory interlock enrolment period, which is one year for first-time offenders, by delaying licence reinstatement.
Ignition interlock devices are breathalyzer-like instruments that keep a vehicle from starting if the driver has been drinking. They also require random breath tests while driving. If the driver fails a random test, the incident is logged, an alarm is activated and the driver is prompted to provide another breath sample. These devices are not intended as a penalty for drivers but, rather are intended to influence safer driving behaviour by physically separating driving from drinking alcohol.
Costs related to the ignition interlock program can be financed through Manitoba Public Insurance.
“An appalling one in three fatal collisions on Manitoba’s roads involves drivers who have been drinking,” said Minister Mackintosh. “While we have been successful in reducing alcohol-related incidents, we will continue to enhance our laws to send the message that drinking and driving will not be tolerated.”
